[Turbohead]

An interesting perspective from a retired highway designer. An eye opener.

https://starofmysore.com/mysuru-beng...rspective/amp/

[impala]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

The opposite way, as you exit the highway into the Mandya town road, maybe a few 100 mtrs, you will see a road go left and crossing the tracks- take that road and it will hit the bypass.

Attaching map in case it helps anyone. Smart FC/Reliance warehouse is a good waypoint to add while coming from Mysore. After it, take the second service road (i.e., you cross the express way through an underpass and turn right) after the railway crossing, and enter the main carriage way immediately. After about 2-3 km, you would exit to the service road on the left, that takes you to the road opposite to the Amaravathi restaurant.

[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

An interesting perspective from a retired highway designer. An eye opener.

https://starofmysore.com/mysuru-beng...rspective/amp/

Seems theoretical and text book. Not sure if anyone even tries to do accordingly.

Will wait and sew how fast Gadkari drives without getting a ticket while inspecting. Afyer all law is only for common people.

[balenoed_]

Heard that Mysore highway was a mess today. Almost all the bypasses were CLOSED today and people had to pass through all the towns and traffic chaos all over. Must be the holiday returning traffic. But any idea why the bypasses were closed? Tomorow will be even worse, just in case if anyone planning, do so accordingly.

[Haque]

Took the expressway yesterday i.e on Saturday, left Mysore around 8am - the bypasses were not closed. Drive was quite a pleasure until one hits the Hebbal fly-over. Destn being Yelahanka, google suggested to avoid the hebbal junction and take bhadrappa layout road - however, given my inclination to stick to main road, I overlooked the recommendation and was held up for over 20mins to cross the signal. This was around 11:15am. One takeaway for me is to plan entry into Bangalore to coincide with the peak-hour traffic controls restricting heavy vehicle movements within the city roads..

My initial impression of the new highway/expressway:
- For a point-to-point drive, it's the best option...well done to NHAI.


Some aspects that I wished for:
- Exit/Entry lanes for key towns ( Ramanagar, Chennapatna, Maddur/Mandya ). These could have spurred fresh growth/development in these areas. Given that this was purpose-built, it could have been easily accommodated and planned for - with dedicated exit/merge lanes.
- Missed the many eateries that were a characteristic feature of the older BLR-MYS highway.
- Mid-way break areas or rest-areas where one could take a break; this could also be developed as a good economic zone with a eateries, shopping, refuelling etc. Though I understand that the road's an expressway designed to ensure that the end-to-end journey is completed in 90mins - thus not requiring the need for a break; however for leisure travel or journeys with family ( elders and/or kids ) a break is useful/looked forward to.

[impala]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Heard that Mysore highway was a mess today. Almost all the bypasses were CLOSED today and people had to pass through all the towns and traffic chaos all over.

I left Nanjangud at 12:05 and exited NICE road toll-plaza to Hosur Road at 3pm; sticking to the speed limits. Bypasses were not closed, I could skip every town in between. In fact, this was the smoothest drive I ever had in this route. Not sure if it changed later in the evening.

While there were trucks and Karnataka Sarige driving in right and middle lane, many cars lethargically driving on the line between center and right lanes, I was also happy to see at least a few drivers cruising on middle lane at steady speed. I think a bit of automated ticketing can improve the discipline. I also saw four or so instances of cars racing each other, going above 130 and criss-crossing the lanes to overtake each other. Such drivers remind me of an old video were militia give their rifles to Chimpanzees!

[vinjosep]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Heard that Mysore highway was a mess today. Almost all the bypasses were CLOSED today and people had to pass through all the towns and traffic chaos all over. Must be the holiday returning traffic. But any idea why the bypasses were closed? Tomorow will be even worse, just in case if anyone planning, do so accordingly.

Yes, it was closed from Channapatna towards Bangalore from around 7pm onwards; not sure if they extended this later to the other stretches as well. The entire traffic was diverted to the old route. Even the roads towards Mysore were closed from somewhere near Bidadi. Not sure of the reason though.

Traffic was chaotic & messy. Took us ~2 hrs from Channapatna to NICE road.

[sachinpk]

An incident narrated by my family friend and neighbour. The day before X'Mas he and family (wife + 2 kids) drove via the new Mysore Express Highway towards Kasaragod Dt., KL. They started a bit late, by around 6PM. Some where near Bidadi their vehicle broke down, and it was more like a 'multiple organ failure'. They tried reaching the vehicle dealership to see if they can arrange a tow truck. No luck there, and precious time was lost there as well. They looked for local workshops, but by around 7:30-08:00PM they had shut shop as well. It was now pitch dark and things were getting more risky.

At around 8:00PM my friend dialled 100 and sought police help. I think the call got routed to Ramanagara Dt Control room and they gave him the number of a police patrol unit. He called them, but the response was that the area where was not in their beat. More time was lost and finally they called 112 (which is the new emergency help number). 112 control room alerted the Highway Police unit, who called my friend. My friend shared his location via WhatsApp.

Soon the police vehicle reached the spot. As the police men also realised that the vehicle had a major break down, they asked my friend and family to take up all valuable items and board the police vehicle. The police men then took them to a good hotel between Ramanagara and Bidadi, so that they can stay there. They also managed to get the number of a local mechanic who promised to check the vehicle and tow it to his workshop.

The best part of this episode was that the two children had a very positive experience about the police, and the role they play (or should be actually playing) in the society.

Next day the car was towed to the workshop, and the family had to travel by bus to Madikeri. Ka.SRTC did have reserved seats, but the bus was too crowded.

[Turbohead]

Finally experienced this highway! Damn happy with the way it's been constructed. Nearly world class - the only thing that's missing are extra lanes specifically for entry and exit from the highway to prevent traffic flow disruption in the main highway.

Started at 10:45 AM from the NICE road exit, went through Mandya and reached Columbia Junction at 12:20 PM. It was a smooth cruise with minimum traffic except for Mandya town. Can't believe how narrow the old highway was after getting into Mandya.

Unfortunately, witnessed a scene of a nasty accident with a blue Baleno. Looked like everyone was ok although shaken.

If lane discipline is maintained by our fellow brethren, this highway can become more safer and more efficient - currently everyone is just wavering across the lanes.

[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Finally experienced this highway! Damn happy with the way it's been constructed. Nearly world class - the only thing that's missing are extra lanes specifically for entry and exit from the highway to prevent traffic flow disruption in the main highway.

If lane discipline is maintained by our fellow brethren, this highway can become more safer and more efficient - currently everyone is just wavering across the lanes.

Its a highly curving highway. Previously when the highway was extended to 4 lane, then CM S.M Krishna had said the road was constructed in a way where they had avoid farm lands of well known people and hence it was so curvy. Its still the same

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Its a highly curving highway. Previously when the highway was extended to 4 lane, then CM S.M Krishna had said the road was constructed in a way where they had avoid farm lands of well known people and hence it was so curvy. Its still the same

Nah, the curves gave the highway a sense of identity and will keep every drive engaging. Imagine if all highways were like the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway - long, straight and absolutely boring. This is way better!

[Rajeevraj]

I returned today and fortunately did not encounter any surprises. Bypasses were all open and traffic was light. So was a peaceful pleasant drive. Took the Mandya bypass again and was pretty much the only car on that stretch-So it is a little scary also. I think it will take another couple of months for the work to finish at the Mysore end of the Mandya bypass. Apart from this, there are 2-3 sections with a lot of pending work and another 2-3 which almost seems done.

As mentioned above, definitely a curvy road. I was also thinking exactly the same when driving today.

Was just looking back to when I started this thread, which was based on the status from Feb 22. Although there have been deadlines of May 2022 and then Dusserha for the completion, considering the pace at which some of our infra projects move, the progress from a few km open for traffic in Feb 2022 to around 80% open for traffic in 10 months is pretty good. The end to end completion is another 3 months away in my view.

[deehunk]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

I returned today and fortunately did not encounter any surprises. The end-to-end completion is another 3 months away in my view.

The NH will be inaugurated by the honorable PM before the assembly elections are scheduled , but with so many hotels now out of vision and knowing the use of service roads for commercial activities, the narrow roads and intersections will pose a problem in the coming years.

[ruzbehxyz]

05th January 2023.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who inspected the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway on Thursday, said that it would be ready for inauguration by February 2023.


Photo source: m-Indicator.


Mr. Gadkari conducted an aerial survey along the alignment of the road and later told mediapersons near Ramanagaram, about 45 km from Bengaluru, that there was some pending work near the Mysuru end it would be expedited for completion by February. ‘’Once completed it would be inaugurated either by the Prime Minister or the President’’, he said.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...41733.ece/amp/

[sanjaykk]

Cross posting from the other thread:

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

Apparently autos and two wheelers will be banned from using the expressway:

https://twitter.com/IndexKarnataka/s...TBHVidWKzCvfig