Mysuru-Bengaluru highway
Construction of India’s Mysuru-Bengaluru highway is set to reduce the travel time between the two cities. Credit: Vikas Rana.

The Government of Karnataka in India is to launch upgrade works on the National Highway (NH) between Mysuru and Bengaluru in the second week of January.

Plans will see a six-lane highway upgraded to ten lanes with four lanes and two service roads on either side.

The announcement was made by Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy during a meeting with senior officers from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government.

Kumaraswamy asked officials to fast-track the process of getting the required clearances for the project.

The foundations for the road widening project were laid in March this year but progress has slowed due to a number of obstacles, including land acquisition.

“It could be taken up only after 80% of the identified land was acquired, and that has been already achieved.”

Karnataka Public Works Department (PWD) additional chief secretary Rajneesh Goel was quoted by starofmysore.com as saying: “The meeting primarily focussed on sorting out certain issues for executing the project. It could be taken up only after 80% of the identified land was acquired, and that has been already achieved.

“There were issues of relocating a water pipeline in Mandya. Instructions have been given by the Chief Minister to the department concerned to take necessary action.”

Nearly 80% of the land required for the project has been acquired but the project has not yet been given environment clearances.

The NHAI is tasked with the widening of Mysuru-Bengaluru highway.

The contractor will be responsible for constructing nine major bridges, 44 minor bridges, and four road-over bridges.

Mysuru-Bengaluru highway is expected to take two-and-a-half years to complete.