Bypasses at Srirangapatna, Maddur, Mandya to open by December end

Mysore/Mysuru: The water-logging issues on the 10-lane Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway are being addressed and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is working closely with the project contractors to prevent future flooding.

The Highway was again in the news on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 after a stretch between Mandya and Maddur was flooded following a breach in Boodanuru Lake during overnight rains. As a result, buses from Mysuru to Bengaluru were plying through Malavalli.

Though the flooding was for a short period, it resulted in commuters facing a lot of inconvenience and long traffic jams. Even the Bengaluru Traffic Police advised commuters to use the Bengaluru-Nagamangala-Pandavapura-Srirangapatna-Mysuru road. Even in August, the Boodanuru Lake was flooded and traffic on the Highway was disrupted for two days.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, NHAI Project Director B.T. Sridhar said that they are implementing remedial measures to prevent flooding of the Highway, especially at underpasses. “Natural calamities are not in our control but I can say that all technical issues of the Highway are being addressed to prevent flooding,” he said.

The NHAI is doing the road and drainage audit to prevent water-logging and ensure vehicles move smoothly even in the wake of heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, the NHAI will be in a position to open the bypasses at Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna by the end of December 2022. “The main work on the Highway has been completed and there are additional works as many villagers and elected representatives are demanding several underpasses in their area. We need to take approval and clearance before implementing the underpass works. This has caused a delay. However, we are confident that all additional works will be completed by March 2023,” Sridhar added.