NHAI plans to have Greenfield alignment on Bengaluru-Kodagu Highway, travel time between Bengaluru and Kushalnagar expected to reduce
As the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway is open to traffic, now the focus has shifted to Bengaluru-Kodagu Highway which will have a new Greenfield alignment to bypass Mysuru and nearby villages and towns. PM Narendra Modi formally laid the foundation stone for the 92 km project to be taken up at a cost of INR 4,130 cr. It is said that once the project is completed, the travel time between Bengaluru and Kushalnagar will be reduced from the present 5 hours to 2.5 hours.
According to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, this project will take off from Guddehosur near Srirangapatna (from Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway), and a new Greenfield alignment of 51.43 km (along with combined by pass of Hunsur) will be constructed so that it joins the existing alignment of Mysuru-Kushalnagar Road at Thammadahalli.
NHAI has planned a 19.95 km bypass for Periyapatna, 12.2 km bypass for Kushalangar and 3.4 km long bypass for Suntikoppa. The new road will be a big relief for those travelling from Bengaluru to Kodagu.
The officials claimed that since the new alignment passes through agricultural or dry land, the level of social and environmental impact is lesser.
“This road will definitely be a boon for travellers to Kodagu. Currently, we are forced to travel to Madikeri via Mysuru Outer Ring Road (ORR). Though the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway has reduced the travel time, the vehicles are getting stuck near Columbia Asia signal where one needs to take a right turn on ORR towards Kodagu. Then, we have to pass through many villages to reach the highway,” said S Medappa, a frequent commuter on the route.
The other option is to take a short cut via KRS Road. However, this road is in a pathetic condition and not fit for travelling. Additionally, this road is quite dangerous to drive at night times. The new road will not only cut short the travel time but also provides a short cut, he added.
Activists raise concerns
However, many environmental activists have taken exception to the new Greenfield project stating that the highway is close to Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary which houses a number of avian species. Environmentalists from Kodagu held a press conference on Sunday saying that the widening of the road may threaten Kodagu’s biodiversity and result in landslides.
Toll collection
Meanwhile, the NHAI plans to collect tolls soon on this expressway. As per NHAI notification, toll fee for the first stretch of highway (Bengaluru-Nidaghatta) is INR 135 for cars (single entry) and INR 205 for return journey on the same day. Going by the current toll fee collected, it is likely that one way travel between Bengaluru to Mysuru will be around INR 250 plus and the return will be INR 600 plus. There have been multiple protests against toll collection and the latest was held on Sunday where the agitators said that the toll should not be collected till the service road is completed.
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