Mysore/Mysuru: The much hyped Bengaluru-Mysuru 10 Lane Expressway will be dedicated to the nation before Dasara 2022, said Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha.

Addressing a news conference here this morning, he said that once the 10-lane expressway is completed, travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru will be reduced to one and a half hours from the present three hours. This will become the first highway project to be completed within the deadline. The total cost of this project is Rs. 8,066 crore and the works had been divided into two phases. The first phase is from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta, a distance of 56.20 km and the second phase is from Nidaghatta to Mysuru, a distance of 61.10 km. The total distance will be 118 km.

Simha said that of the total Rs. 8,066 crore, Rs. 3,593 crore was spent on land acquisition and Rs. 4,473 crore on civil works. Nearly 81 percent of the first phase work has been completed and works on the construction of bypass roads were in progress, which is expected to be completed by January next year. The maintenance of the expressway has been given to the private company for 15 years. “In all probability, Expressway will be ready by September, 2022,” he added.

The MP said that there will be five major bridges, elevated highway of 8.07 km length, 44 main bridges, four Rail Under-Bridges, eight vehicle underpass, 8 vehicles overpass, three toll plaza and 3 rest areas.