B'luru-Chennai Expressway will be ready by March next year: Gadkari

BENGALURU: Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inspected the progress of Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway.

Karnataka PWD Minister C.C. Patil, BJP MP Bachegowda accompanied Gadkari in the aerial inspection.

Taking to Twitter, the Union Minister said: "Inspected the progress of the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway with Karnataka PWD Minister Shri @CCPatilBJP Ji and MP Shri @BNBachegowda_MP Ji. We are constructing this 262 km long 8-Lane structure worth of Rs 16,730 Cr."

He described the expressway as the "pragati ka highway" (highway for development).

The Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is part of 26 Green Motor Corridors developed by the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project in May 2022.

This expressway will pass through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Gadkari arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday night. He was received by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his colleagues.

The Union Minister will also take up aerial inspection of 118 kilometre long Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway built at a cost of Rs 4,473 crore.

The expressway is expected to reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours.

The 10-lane expressway has made news for accidents.

According to police, 77 accidents have taken place in the last six months and 28 persons have lost their lives and 67 have been injured.

The authorities claim that the expressway has 16 accident prone zones and they are working in this direction.

The ruling BJP wants to inaugurate the highway ahead of the Assembly polls and plans to invite Modi for inauguration.