Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway Project Delayed Again; Completion Expected By July 2026; Details Inside News24 –
The much-awaited expressway project connecting Bengaluru and Chennai has once again been delayed. Now its likely completion is being said to be between December 2025 and July 2026. This information was given by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in Parliament on Friday.
The project was started in 2022 and was targeted to be completed by 2023. But due to various reasons, this plan has been postponed several times so far. In response to a question by Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan, Gadkari said that so far only 100.7 km of the 263.4 km has been completed. The project, estimated to cost Rs 15,188 crore, is now facing a delay of more than three years.
State-Wise Progress:
In Karnataka, 71.7 km of work has been completed from Bengaluru to Bethamangala.
The section from Sundarapalya to Baireddipalli is likely to be completed by December 2025.
In Andhra Pradesh, 29 km of work from Bangarupalem to Gudipalla has been completed.
The last link from Baireddipalli to Bangarupalem will be completed by June 2026.
In Tamil Nadu, the sections from Gudipalla to Walajahpet (24 km) and Walajahpet to Arakkonam (24.5 km) is likely to be completed by October 2025.
The Arakkonam to Kanchipuram (25.5 km) work may be completed by March 2026 and the Kanchipuram to Sriperumbudur (31.7 km) stretch may be completed by December 2025.
Reasons For Delay:
According to Gadkari, complexities in land acquisition, delay in getting necessary approvals from state governments, and technical problems hindered the project:
In Karnataka, delay in land acquisition, lack of proper compensation for affected properties and public opposition were the main reasons.
In Tamil Nadu, there were delays in getting permissions for technical works like rock cutting and blasting.
In Andhra Pradesh, getting permission to start construction work in the 10 km sensitive area of Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary has been challenging.
Benefits Of The Expressway:
After completion of this high-speed expressway, travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai will be reduced from 6-7 hours to less than 4 hours. It will also speed up transport and logistics and strengthen economic and social ties between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Although there has been local criticism and concern over the repeated delays, the central government says that the project is of top priority and will be completed expeditiously with the cooperation of the state governments.