The Bangalore-Chennai expressway is an under-construction expressway touted to strengthen India’s connectivity net. The first expressway in south India is likely to make a huge impact on the economy; real estate in particular. In this guide, we learn about the key facts of this upcoming infrastructure project.
Bangalore-Chennai expressway: Foundation-laying ceremony
Being built under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the expressway is one of the 26 new expressways that the government is building to boost India’s connectivity net. The project was conceived in 2011 and the foundation for the Bangalore-Chennai expressway was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2022.
Estimated cost and travel time
To be developed at an estimated Rs 17,000 crore, the expressway would considerably cut the travel time between the two cities. “The travel time between Chennai and Bangalore would be reduced to two-and-half hours with all the safety features once the expressway is ready,” road transport minister, Nitin Gadkari said in February 2021.
“At present, travel time taken between Bangalore and Chennai is around 5 hours. Once the expressway opens, the travel time will get reduced to 2.15 hours. The distance between two destinations is 300 km and with the implementation of the new road project, travel distance gets reduced to 262 km,” the minister said.
Expressway makeup
Also named the National Expressway 7 (NE-7), it will cover 262 km, passing through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The starting point of the Bangalore-Chennai expressway would be Hoskote in Bangalore and will end at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district. The expressway will pass through Malur, Bangarpet, Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), Palamaner, Chittoor and Ranipet.
Features of Bangalore-Chennai Expressway
Constructed on a build-operate-transfer basis, the four-lane, double-decker elevated road expressway will include 8 major bridges, 103 minor bridges and 17 flyovers. Part of the overall makeup would be four spur roads, diverting at Dabaspet (Karnataka), Konadaspura (Karnataka), Kolar Gold Fields (Karnataka) and Katpadi (Tamil Nadu).
The expressway will be connected with the proposed Bangalore Ring Road.
Completion timeline
A part of the centre’s flagship Gati Shakti scheme, the Bangalore-Chennai expressway has been accorded special priority status by Prime Minister Modi and Gadkari under the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor (CBIC). To be built in three phases and 10 packages, the access-controlled, signal-free, elevated expressway, for which about 98% of land was available, is slated to be completed by December 2024.
Bangalore-Chennai expressway route map
The expressway will pass through the following cities:
- Hoskote (Karnataka)
- Malur (Karnataka)
- V Kota (Andhra Pradesh)
- Palamaner (Andhra Pradesh)
- Gudiyatham (Tamil Nadu)
- Arakkonam (Tamil Nadu)
- Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu)
Bangalore-Chennai Expressway: Key factsImplementing agency: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Length: 262.25 km Starting point: Hoskote, Karnataka End point: Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu Travel time: 2 hours at 170km/hour States covered: Karnataka (71 km), Andhra Pradesh (85 km) and Tamil Nadu (106 km) Phases: 3 Estimated cost: Rs 14,870 crore Speed limit: 120 kmph |
Bangalore-Chennai Expressway: Impact on real estate
Expected to cater to 45,000 to 60,000 passenger car units per day, the upcoming project has started impacting commercial real estate in the three states, especially boosting the prospects for an automobile hub in Sriperumbudur.
“Implementation of the project would result in the development of basic infrastructure, industrial development and better connectivity between Bengaluru and Chennai, which would result in the overall economic development of the region,” the road ministry said in an official statement.
“The project will increase economic activity in the region by opening up new areas for industrial development. There is potential for manufacturing facilities and warehousing facilities along the corridor. Also, the project will be closer to the port and will facilitate easy cargo movement on the corridor,” CREDAI Tamil Nadu state president, Suresh Krishna, told The Hindu.
Gadkari, who took to Twitter, said on january 6, 2023, that the project was cost-efficient for vehicle operators and lessens fuel consumption. “It will strengthen the economic activities in Bangalore and Chennai and also connect industrial hubs in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to the Chennai Port,” he said.
Bangalore-Chennai expressway latest news
Over 55% of work on TN’s portion of Bangalore-Chennai Expressway complet
February 13, 2024: More than 55% of the work to construct the four-lane brownfield Bangalore-Chennai Expressway has been completed in Tamil Nadu, where it will run for 106 km. Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is executing the project, said with the end of the monsoon and availability of land and materials, the work was being fast-tracked. “We hope to finish it by the end of the calendar year 2024,” they said. The work on the Tamil Nadu side of the express has been divided into four packages, including 24-km between Gudipala-Walajahpet, 24.5-km between Walajapet-Arakkonam, 25.5-km between Arakkonam-Kancheepuram and 32.1-km between Kanchipuram-Sriperumbudur.
FAQs
Who is executing the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway project?
The NHAI is the implementation agency.
When will the Bengaluru-Chennai expressway open?
The Bengaluru-Chennai expressway is likely to open by December 2025.
What is the average travel time between Bangalore and Chennai?
The average commute time between Chennai and Bengaluru, by road, is five to six hours.
What is the status of the Chennai-Bangalore Expressway?
Construction is ongoing for the Chennai-Bangalore Expressway. It is likely to be completed by December 2025.
What is the current connectivity between Chennai and Bangalore?
Chennai and Bangalore are currently linked through two highways. The first one runs 335 km via Kolar, Chittoor, Ranipet and Kanchipuram. The second one runs 372 km via Krishnagiri and Ranipet. The Chennai-Bangalore expressway will be an alternative to the 372-km highway to Chennai via Krishnagiri and Vellore and the NH-4 via Kolar and Chittor in Andhra Pradesh.
