Pratap Simha firm on naming road as ‘Kaveri Expressway’; PM Modi to inaugurate in March
Mysuru: Even as unconfirmed charts mentioning the toll rates for travel between Mysuru and Bengaluru on the 10-lane Access-Controlled Expressway are doing the rounds in social media even before the official announcement of the actual rates, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha said that a one-way trip could cost up to Rs. 250.
Speaking to reporters yesterday on the sidelines of the meeting with officials regarding the four-lane Expressway between Mysuru and Kushalnagar, Simha said that the toll will workout less if the return journey was on the same day.
“The list of toll fees being circulated on social media is only a rough estimation. The rates are yet to be worked out based on the number of flyovers, underpasses, bridges, number of daily vehicles between the two cities and the kinds of vehicles that use the road,” the MP said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has certain standards of levying tolls per kilometre and guessing the toll at this point would only be speculation. “In the case of elevated roads as on certain stretches of the Expressway, the cost is fixed a little higher. As such, I am expecting that a one-way trip could cost around Rs. 250. This is based on my limited knowledge of the issue,” Pratap Simha added.
On the demand from many quarters for toilets and rest areas, the MP said that a rest area would come up on a 30-acre island-like plot at Channapatna at a cost of Rs. 1,200 crore.
“Apart from toilets, there would be space for restaurants, eateries, kiosks and stalls dealing with handicrafts, Geographical Indication (GI) products and Channapatna toys. Eateries serving all types of food will be developed there. It would also have electric vehicle charging stations, fuel stations, and gas stations. It will take another year to be completed,” the MP added.
Inauguration in March second or third week
On the proposed date of inauguration, the MP said that the Expressway will be inaugurated in the second or third week of March by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Along with this Expressway, the Prime Minister will launch the works of the four-lane Mysuru-Kushalnagar Highway that will be built at a cost of Rs. 3,500 crore. This Kushalnagar Highway will link the Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway and further reduce the travel time from Madikeri to Bengaluru,” Pratap Simha added.
Kaveri Expressway
Pratap Simha has reaffirmed that the Expressway will be named ‘Kaveri Expressway’. “There is no precedence of naming highways or districts after individuals in Karnataka and moreover, River Kaveri benefits millions of people. One must understand that there could be no Bengaluru without River Cauvery (Kaveri) and hence, it is apt that the Expressway between Mysuru and Bengaluru be named after the River,” he reasoned.
People in Mandya and other districts worship Kaveri and there is no need to create a controversy over the issue, he added. “I have a lot of respect for the Mysore royal family and the Wadiyars. Those suggesting to name the Expressway after Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar must realise that Mysore Airport will be named after Nalwadi. Also, a superfast train has been renamed as Wadiyar Express,” he said.
Harsha Bhogle, Anand Mahindra tweet approval
Ace Indian cricket commentator and senior journalist Harsha Bhogle tweeted about the 10-lane Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway on Feb. 12 thus: “Very impressed with the road from Mysuru to Bengaluru.” Bhogle’s tweet has received 1.1 million views and over 21,000 likes till Feb. 14, 2 pm.
———-
Even industrialist Anand Mahindra tweeted his approval on Feb. 13: “Drone view of the new Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway with the Vande Bharat train passing underneath. A powerful visual symbol of how global-standard infrastructure is transforming India.” Mahindra’s tweet has got 2 million views and 55,000 likes.
Will it be Kaveri or Cauvery expressway , as Cauvery emporium has the latter spelling . But yes the river’s name is best suited for the expressway as it is non controversial and represents the lifeline of the region/belt.Also as it is going to be uphill climb and since it is only four lane , do plan truckers lay-by every few kilometers so that they could park vehicles on the side of the road in these lay-by’s instead of parking on the paved shoulders
\the problem with India is the decisions are handed out by politicians like this dimwit Simha, without asking peoples’ opinions. Surely, it was easy in this age of the web to set a Web where for example,, people could have been asked to list 3 names or list 3 names to choose from one of them. The majority votes deciding the names. More than Cauvery or Kaveri, the most appropriate is to name the engineer who made the region that is covered by this express a rich and fertile region by bringing the river in to canal for irrigation. That person was Sir MV, a brilliant civil engineer. Calling this Sir MV Expressway provides gravitas , and a duty to keep it operating well as Sir MV would have desired.
The question is would this Express way provide the solution? Without doubling at least further the railtrack between Mysore-Bangalore , this introducing train schedules like non-stop trains, one stop trains etc..the traffic of travelling people will overwhelm this express way.
Creating more and more Expressways, and imposing more developments and population on Mysore, is a retrograde approach.
Narendra Modi will arrive , while inaugurating this Highway will boast about Tech India, India’s progress and claim that Western countries need India as technologically advanced country-that kind of wild bull shit.Best to take Modi around Mysore to show how the streets are taken over b y stray dogs, footpaths crowded by vendors, and open spaces are used as toilets etc.. so that his demented brain is hit with the reality of what this third world country is.
Wait a minute. We knew that this Expressway is a rich pick for armed robbers , and the so called Shangri-La this political scoundrel prattles here: “Apart from toilets, there would be space for restaurants, eateries, kiosks and stalls dealing with handicrafts, Geographical Indication (GI) products and Channapatna toys. Eateries serving all types of food will be developed there. It would also have electric vehicle charging stations, fuel stations, and gas stations. It will take another year to be completed,” will be the focus of armed robbers!
Finally, this Rs 250 toll fee, will easily double within 2 years, to put money on the pockets of politicians and officials, he Highway will be swam ped with cars from all directions including the straight through and from by passes, and the traffic will crawl, with accidents and congestion!
Yeah right. The intelligent fellow calling names to Pratap simha should realize he is one of the main reasons for this highway to happen for us. I’m not a worshipper of a person. Criticism is a good thing but when we have an mp who is all in for the people and growth of his district try to appreciate that instead of calling names like dimwit. You big heads are the reason why we don’t have many more like simha ji.
I feel toll charged predicted is on a higher side.
Now a days toll is on higher side. Let it be maximum 1rupee per km. Above that very painful to pay.
The average in all states is Re 1 per km. These guys are charging 2.5 which is looting the public. For these politicians and chelas it will be free ride ,other govt guys will enjoy freely,they should also be charged . The same politicians will come and block for cauvery agitation, farmer prices, will Simha bring a legislation to stop these .
@Mithun
Now you sound like a thick headed dim wit. Your Simha is destroying your once beautiful city.
If he so cared, he should for a start improve the city which has become a garbage dump, remove the marauding stray dogs, and instead of pratlling ensure that vendors are removed from footpaths. Yes, at the same time, he should ensure people do not use open sapces at the end of a streetas toilets.
But he will not as a slave of your wonderful PM Modi.
But you r thinking suggests you have a very small brain.
Hey Mithun
You also so a thick headed dim wit.
If your MP Simha cared so much for Mysore, he should work hard to ensure that this city is not becoming a garbage dump, stray dogs do not wander around and footpath vendors removed .
He will not. All he is interested is converting this city is a tourist dump.
What a dullard you are!
It should be higher. We need to encourage use of public transport. Else every Ram Sita and Lakshmana will buy a car, rather an SUV just to enjoy the drive. We need to continue the good trains service.
There are many comments praising & criticising one thing is if you are interested in using the express way use it or otherwise go in the old road that’s it
The cost is too much for the middle class, as they have to pay tax simultaneously they have to pay toll. Toll free has to become free for tax payer atleast
@Sathya
Agree. This 10-lne Highway will prove to be a bad idea. The best option would have ben to cut the number of lanes and expand the rail track between Mysore-Bangalore doubling or tripling it further, and running fast trains with different schedules and stops-some express trains could be non-stop in between the 2 cities.