Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway to be inaugurated by February end
Mysuru: Allaying fears that the 10-lane Mysuru-Bengaluru Access-Controlled Expressway will be dangerous to travel and dismissing apprehensions of flooding of the National Highway 275 (NH 275) at Ramanagara, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that a road safety audit will be conducted and dangerous spots will be rectified with corrective measures.
Speaking to reporters after conducting an aerial and on-road survey of the Expressway yesterday, the Minister said that the Highway will be formally inaugurated either by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or President Droupadi Murmu by the end of February 2023. As there was some pending work near the Mysuru end, it would be expedited for completion by February.
“The inauguration of the Expressway by the Prime Minister or the President depends on their schedule and fix-up date,” he said. “All concerns of safety will be addressed before the inauguration and I am told and I have seen reports of many accidents on this Expressway and corrective measures will be taken,” the Minister said.
Replying to a question by a reporter on the observation made by Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambarish and a few other elected representatives that the Highway was unscientifically designed, Gadkari said they will evaluate the complaints on technical parameters if any specific issues are raised.Entries and exits have been provided at Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna.
Gradient and precast drain
“The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is prepared by a team of technical experts and not by politicians or Ministers. But if the MP has any reservations, we will check with the technical committee. The problem of flooding is being evaluated and solutions will be incorporated,” he added.
“Unfortunately, rainfall was a big problem this year. Sometimes, the gradient is not perfect and the gradient has to be maintained. We will rectify it.” He said that he has given instructions to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials on the need to have a drainage system with precast technology with good quality works.
Satellite townships
Gadkari said the Expressway designed from Bengaluru-Mysuru will reduce the travel time to 1 hour and 10 minutes (from about 2 hours and 30 minutes). In order to minimise traffic congestion and pollution in Bengaluru, Gadkari recommended satellite townships along the stretch.
“Now it is up to the State Government to develop cities and regions that pass through this route as an industrial cluster to decongest Bengaluru,” Gadkari said. According to him, the NHAI is taking up 8,005-km long projects in Karnataka worth Rs. 2 lakh crore.
Merger at two ends
According to NHAI officials, the Centre has accorded in-principle approval to merge the 10-lane Expressway with the road built by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) on the Bengaluru-end. On the Mysuru side, the Expressway has been approved to be merged with the Outer Ring Road at Manipal Hospital Junction.
Business-Class public transport between Bengaluru and Mysuru
On the long-term benefits to the region because of the Expressway, the Minister said that the economic corridor will be a catalyst to spur investment. Congestion in Bengaluru will be reduced and industrial activity will shift to Mysuru, shorter travel time will promote a lot of new investments in Mysuru and the IT industry can flourish as it can find good real estate at cheaper cost compared to Bengaluru, he said.
“It will help industrial development and boost the growth of Mysuru, Ramanagara, Channapatna and Mandya. I feel that the shorter time travel will encourage the IT sector to invest in Mysuru. A cheaper land rate in Mysuru will make it attractive for industrialists and the education sector to set up campuses in Mysuru which already has emerged as an education hub,” he added.
“I am in talks with transport companies (including Volvo) and I have suggested designing air-conditioned buses with business class seats to operate on this Expressway. This will encourage people to shift from private to the public transport system and help reduce traffic density,” he revealed.
Typical fat cat corrupt BJP politician. Grinning by the side of him is the bearded fool MP Simha.
If the highway is not properly designed, and the materials used are not of quality, given the massive traffic expected in this highway, both the straight through traffic and those joining at the aforementioned entry points at Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna., one could expect plenty of major and minor accidents.
The satellite townships he prattles already exist, and given the massive population increase in this region and the whole of India, and car cultuere Indians are cultivating, these highways are not enough.
Give it 1 year, this highway will come part with a plethora od problems.
So inauguration by that tribal woman Murmu, the president or by Modi. They both seem to be hiding from the Covid-19 raging at New Delhi, and indeed in other parts of the country, which are kept hidden.