Bangalore- Chennai Expressway now open to public

Bengaluru : The Karnataka section of the Bangalore-Chennai Expressway is almost complete and is open to vehicle movement. Locals are currently using the expressway. It is learnt that the expressway is also being used for jolly rides.

The 260-km expressway work is yet to be completed in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The work is expected to be completed completely by August 2025 and the highway will be inaugurated.

Currently, the work of 71 km of the road in Karnataka is almost complete and the road is open to the public. Locals living around the expressway have started using the road.

The work was delayed due to a temple near Hoskote. The temple has been shifted and the work of the 400-meter stretch has now been completed. Barring some minor works, the road is open to the public, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials said.

The Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway has exits at Malur, Bangarpet and Bettamangala in Karnataka.

Tolls are not being collected as the entire expansion is not yet complete. An official said that the expressway is now being used by locals and those going on long drives.

The expressway, which passes through the three states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, has a maximum speed limit of 120 kmph. Currently, the journey between Bengaluru and Chennai takes more than six hours. The expressway aims to reduce this to three hours.

The four-lane expressway has been divided into three packages in Karnataka. The first package is between Hoskote and Malur, spanning 27.1 km.

The second is between Malur and Bangarpet, 27.1 km, and the third is between Bangarpet and Bettamangala, spanning 17.5 km.