Bengaluru-Mangaluru high-speed road project set to begin in 2028: Read more

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Nov 11, 2024, 2:38 PM IST

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is developing a 335 km expressway between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, aiming to cut travel time significantly. Expected to begin in 2028, the project will involve bypasses, financial planning, and collaboration to improve connectivity across Karnataka’s rugged terrain.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is planning an expressway to connect Bengaluru and Mangaluru with seamless, all-weather road access. This high-speed corridor, intended to transform connectivity between southern and coastal Karnataka, will span approximately 335 km, potentially reducing travel time between the two cities from the current 7–8 hours.

In July, the ministry took a key step by inviting bids for a consultancy firm to create a detailed project report (DPR). The deadline for technical bid submission ended on November 4, with nine firms competing for the project. The ministry expects to finalize the contractor selection next year, granting the chosen firm 540 days to complete the DPR. Based on this timeline, construction is projected to begin in 2028.

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Reduced travel time

The proposed expressway is expected to be a four-lane or six-lane route, passing through Hassan and offering multiple bypasses to navigate the Western Ghats' challenging terrain. Once operational, the expressway promises significant travel time reduction and improved accessibility for people commuting between Bengaluru and Mangaluru.

Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, emphasized the urgent need for improved connectivity to Mangaluru, describing the high-speed corridor as a vital requirement for the region. "The project remains in its conceptual phase, but we are advocating for it. Currently, there is no effective connectivity between coastal Karnataka and other regions in the state. Mangaluru, along with its port, is largely isolated, hindering its potential development," he explained, adding that the existing road routes are long and challenging, and even rail and air options remain limited and costly.

Environmental and economic concerns

Gundu Rao acknowledged the environmental and financial considerations associated with the expressway but maintained that the benefits of enhanced connectivity outweigh the challenges. The Karnataka Public Works Department (PWD) will collaborate with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to assist with alignment planning and land acquisition.

"The alignment of the road needs to be finalized, which includes bypass routes, financial models, and toll considerations. To support the project financially, we may even consider developing townships along the route," Gundu Rao added.

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Vilas P. Brahmankar, Regional Officer of NHAI Bengaluru, noted that the precise route for the expressway will be determined once the DPR is complete. Currently, the main Bengaluru-Mangaluru road (NH-75) is prone to landslides and faces frequent monsoon closures. NHAI is already working to expand the Hassan-Sakaleshpura-Maranahalli stretch of NH-75 from two to four lanes, with 35 km completed and the remaining 10 km on track for completion by June 2025.

The Bantwala-Mangaluru stretch already has four lanes, with the main bottleneck being the Shiradi Ghat section. To address this, NHAI is planning a hybrid approach involving flyovers and tunnels to add two additional lanes. Another NHAI official revealed that the DPR for the Shiradi Ghat segment is still under development, with tender invitations expected next year.

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