Saralnama
The Bengaluru-Chennai expressway, a 262 km greenfield highway costing Rs 15,188 crore, is set to reduce travel time between the two cities from six hours to approximately two hours and fifteen minutes. Construction began in 2022 but has faced delays due to land acquisition issues in Karnataka, environmental clearances, and rock blasting challenges near Tamil Nadu. As of August 2025, less than half of the expressway is complete, with full completion now expected by July 2026. Key sections in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are at various stages of completion, with some stretches due by late 2025 and mid-2026. The expressway will allow vehicles to travel at speeds up to 120 km/h, easing congestion on NH-44 and NH-48, lowering logistics costs, and boosting trade between Bengaluru and Chennai. Safety concerns have arisen due to unauthorized two-wheeler entry, prompting requests for home guard deployment at vulnerable points. Additionally, detailed project reports are underway for new corridors connecting Bengaluru to Hyderabad and Pune to improve regional connectivity further. (Updated 24 Aug 2025, 08:40 IST; source: link)