[Rajeevraj]

Before readers wonder on why we need a thread on the Bangalore-Mysore Road, as we already have ongoing discussions in a lot of places, let me clarify that this is for the updates and discussion on the upcoming Bangalore-Mysore Expressway. While it aligns to the current road in most parts, there are also several key greenfield stretches that completely bypass the towns enroute.

Again, there still may be a thought-What is the big deal, we have plenty of expressways now. . Folks who regular use this road would know about the notoriety of the stretch. Of course we know it is important because it connects the capital city Bangalore to Mysore, which is the cultural capital and one of the top tourist centers in India. Apart from that Mysore is the gateway to some of the top tourist locations in the country including the Nilgiris belt in Tamilnadu (Ooty, Coonoor), Wayanad in Kerala and Coorg in Karnataka. In addition it is also the gateway to the Bandipur and Mudumalai Wildlife Santuaries. Beyond all of that, it is also the default route for travelling between Karnataka and the Northern Districts of Kerala.

So one can imagine the amount of traffic that the Bangalore Mysore highway takes. Most regulars dread the route especially during weekends and there is always a lot of discussion on alternative routes via Kanakpura and Neelamangala-Pandavapura which have their own problems. The stretch is also made fun off as one long food court or a 140km city drive. It is also famous for the appearance and disappearance of road humps which make it dangerous.

So what is changing now: The Bangalore-Mysore Road was expanded into a 4 lane road and it got completed in around the 2005 timeframe( my vague recollection). It was a state highway and did not significantly bypass the towns enroute (Kengeri, Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, Srirangapatna). So even in the immediate years since inception it was seen to be not sufficient to carry the volume of traffic.

In the later years, as part of the Bangalore NICE Road, there was a plan/proposal to have a similar expressway to Mysore. That did not take off (Even today you can see the board on the NICE road that indicates a Mysore Expressway)

Years went by, the stretch was converted into an NH and finally plans were made to expand it into a proper 6 lane access controlled expressway with 2 way service roads on both sides. It is a 117km road that starts just after the NICE road at Kengeri and ends at the Mysore Ring Road at the Columbia Asia Signal. Below news articles have some more info.

https://www.livemint.com/industry/in...905402536.html

https://www.newindianexpress.com/sta...i-2392312.html

While the articles above call out the status and target completion date of October 2022. Since I frequently drive the stretch, thought to capture some images and put in my perspective of the status of the work and progression.

All the below updates are as of 20th February 2022. My estimates on the completion are based on the progress I have seen in trips done in September and November 2021 and February 2022.

[Rajeevraj]

Below status updates are based on the screen grabs from my dashcam. Please note the journey was from Mysore towards Bangalore. So the updates start from Mysore and move towards Bangalore.

Mysore(Columbia Asia)-Srirangapatna: As you exit Columbia Asia signal, you can see good progress. The roadworks are completed and opened for 2-3 kilometers. Beyond that, there are a lot of diversions, but you can see work happening at a fast pace till you are 2-3km from Srirangapatna. I did not notice the Srirangapatna Bypass and it may have not landed at the main road. From the point where the KRS road takes off and a few km past Srirangapatna, there are no signs of work. I attribute it to the bypass which is not visible yet.

Starting from Columbia Asia


An opened section just after Columbia Asia


A typical diversion. All diversions are well marked and well tarred.


No signs of work in and around Srirangapatna

Srirangapatna-Mandya: In this stretch there are several open sections and work on in full swing, as seen in the pics below. The toll-booth is also located here and you can see the structure in the picture below along with the approach from the Bangalore side.

A typical section. 6 lanes fenced on both sides. 2 service roads


Toll booth structure seen on the right


Approach towards toll booth from Bangalore side


Opened sections between Srirangapatna and Mandya

Mandya Bypass: In my view the 2nd most important section of road in this project. A completely greenfield road that bypasses Mandya. While the exact status is unclear, considering we can see the bypass entry and exit leads me to believe that the work on the stretch is happening in full swing. For any travel time reduction to be noticed, this bypass must open

Mandya Bypass takes off and connects back.

Mandya-Maddur: Here the alignment is interesting. Instead of just a bypass, there is a significant elevated section that goes over Maddur before moving away as a bypass and connecting back after Maddur. Here also the work seems to be in advanced stages.

Elevated section starts before Maddur






End of the Maddur Bypass

Maddur-Channapatna-Ramanagara: Maddur to Channapatna a lot of the roadwork is done and/or in final stages. As you approach Channapatna, you see what is arguably the most important stretch of road, the greenfield section that takes off before Channapatna and completely bypasses both Channapatna and Ramanagara. These are 2 of the most congested towns on the current highway and this double bypass is going to help significantly. From the entry and exit pictures, it definitely looks to be in advanced stages of work.

The big one. Channapatna-Ramanagara Bypass

Ramanagara-Bidadi: In this section also roadworks are in the final stages and you even see a stretch with some lane markings. Bidadi is also bypassed

Bidadi Bypass start

Bidadi-Kengeri: Post the Bidadi bypass exit, you come across the toll booths, unlike the one on the Mysore side which is one big toll, on the Bangalore side, it is split into 2 probably a km apart for each direction

Tollbooths

Toll booth-Expressway End at NICE: Post the toll, an elevated section takes off towards Bangalore and remains an elevated road until it lands close to the NICE Road Entry Exit which is where the expressway ends (or starts when coming from Bangalore)

[Rajeevraj]

The official status is that a section from Bangalore-Mandya will be open in May and the Mandya to Mysore in September. Based on my observations on the progress from September to now, one thing that is clear is that the work is definitely progressing very fast. So the deadlines don't look too unrealistic. But the key would be the bypasses and when they can be completed. Without which the claimed reduction in travel time to 1.5 hrs from 3+ hrs will not happen. Having said that, once this is done, considering the way it is being executed- the travel time will greatly reduce and this is going to significantly help travelers on the stretch reduce travel times. I am personally looking forward to its completion as it would reduce the travel time to Kerala.

Request other regulars on the route to keep updating status as the progress is quick and the status will definitely change every couple of weeks.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Routes section. Thanks for sharing!

[Jhinchak]

Going by the info provided, it looks like the project is 55-60% complete and the completion of this project by Dasara seems possible but not probable. But I still think they might inaugurate this project if its 80% complete and finish the balance by year end. Its an important year for Mysore as its lost a lot of tourists because of Covid and it will look to bounce back this year.

[sleepyhead148]

This is a video in Kannada but captions are self explanatory about the map and the progress as on August 2021. Corroborates with OP Rajeevraj's post on developments on the road. Halving the time will be a major achievement for NHAI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTZW44eNdbM

[Caramba]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

So what is changing now: The Bangalore-Mysore Road was expanded into a 4 lane road and it got completed in around the 2005 timeframe( my vague recollection). It was a state highway and did not significantly bypass the towns enroute (Kengeri, Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, Srirangapatna). So even in the immediate years since inception it was seen to be not sufficient to carry the volume of traffic.

Interestingly, we still do not pass the original towns. What we drive on are the original bypasses built and now the towns caught up to them. So now we cannot tell the difference. This is the issue with not having proper planning or enforcement.
Hopefully the new roads will be elevated or fenced off and do not end up in the same state.

[sswaroop]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

I did not notice the Srirangapatna Bypass and it may have not landed at the main road. From the point where the KRS road takes off and a few km past Srirangapatna, there are no signs of work. I attribute it to the bypass which is not visible yet.

The Srirangapatna bypass is almost not visible when driving from Mysore side because of the undulations of the road and traffic diversions. When coming from Bangalore, it crosses the existing road and lands on the other side and continues on. The last couple of pillars to cross the existing road and the landing ramp seem to be pending. The bypass is visible on GMaps here:



The landing of the bypass on the Mandya side is clearly visible when travelling.

Originally Posted by Caramba

Interestingly, we still do not pass the original towns. What we drive on are the original bypasses built and now the towns caught up to them. So now we cannot tell the difference. This is the issue with not having proper planning or enforcement.
Hopefully the new roads will be elevated or fenced off and do not end up in the same state.

The previous bypasses were not expressways and were un-tolled. So the towns gradually caught up to the bypass where all the "activity" was. This being a fenced highway, it won't go the same way.

[Vipin Kumar]

I drove the Bangalore - Mysore section on 3 February 2022. Left Bangalore at 11.15 pm and reached Mysore at 02.15 am. Since it was all night and I was on a long drive, I was slower. The section was full of diversions as the main post above shows. But the diversions were very smooth. The sections which are sort of complete are really wider than a six lane road. I did the Mysore - Bangalore section in the evening of 16 February 2022. It was not very fast but relatively smooth and without road blocks till I reached the outer of Kengeri. I struggled there for almost an hour. I think there should be some useful and effective alternative routes in this area. Otherwise, even 10 lanes are not going to help.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

I drove the Bangalore - Mysore section on 3 February 2022. Left Bangalore at 11.15 pm and reached Mysore at 02.15 am. Since it was all night and I was on a long drive, I was slower. The section was full of diversions as the main post above shows. But the diversions were very smooth. The sections which are sort of complete are really wider than a six lane road. I did the Mysore - Bangalore section in the evening of 16 February 2022. It was not very fast but relatively smooth and without road blocks till I reached the outer of Kengeri. I struggled there for almost an hour. I think there should be some useful and effective alternative routes in this area. Otherwise, even 10 lanes are not going to help.

They should bypass the kengeri signal. That is a huge bottleneck during peak hours and weekend. I do not know if the bypass is feasible since they cannot build a flyover because of metro pillars. I always take the NICE road to the Mysore road exit whenever I want to travel towards Mysore

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Bidadi Bypass start

Looks like the Bidadi A2B will be bypassed as well. Not sure will they still continue to open once the new highway is opened.

Likewise any other popular restaurants gone off the highway?

[whitewing]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

It was not very fast but relatively smooth and without road blocks till I reached the outer of Kengeri. I struggled there for almost an hour. I think there should be some useful and effective alternative routes in this area. Otherwise, even 10 lanes are not going to help.

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

They should bypass the kengeri signal. That is a huge bottleneck during peak hours and weekend. I do not know if the bypass is feasible since they cannot build a flyover because of metro pillars. I always take the NICE road to the Mysore road exit whenever I want to travel towards Mysore

There are 2 chokepoints (assuming the exits will be tolled):

1. Entering Bangalore, as pointed out Vipin Kumar and sagarpadaki. The NICE road will appear attractive, inspite of added distance.
2. Entering Mysore. The Ringroad signal(near country club), going in towards the Mysore town. This is already a mess, without a functional expressway. Got caught near the signal around a month back and experienced crazy traffic (both ways). Can't imagine the mess that we will find ourselves in one the expressway opens up. Unless they setup a free left (or alternate feeder roads) to get into the ringroad, that would reduce quite a bit of traffic at the signal.

[sswaroop]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

Likewise any other popular restaurants gone off the highway?

Almost all of them within town limits. In Maddur, Adigas and Maddur Tiffanys. Kamat Lokaruchi in Ramanagar. The ones benefitting in the immediate short term without having to relocate are the ones after Channapatna (Indraprastha, Shivalli, Organic Mandya complex)

Originally Posted by whitewing

[*]Entering Mysore. The Ringroad signal(near country club), going in towards the Mysore town. This is already a mess, without a functional expressway. Got caught near the signal around a month back and experienced crazy traffic (both ways). Can't imagine the mess that we will find ourselves in one the expressway opens up. Unless they setup a free left (or alternate feeder roads) to get into the ringroad, that would reduce quite a bit of traffic at the signal.[/list]

Agree. Despite the widening of the junction by adding more lanes, it will be a mess. I was hoping for a flyover to come up at this junction along with the expressway, but alas. It looks like a 5-10 minute jam is inevitable at this junction after the expressway opens. MUDA should have taken up this project in conjunction with NHAI before hand, but that seldom happens.

[SeshSrini]

Mod note: Trimming quoted post, please avoid quoting entire large post for short replies. Affects readability. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Before readers wonder on why we need a thread on the Bangalore-Mysore Road,
=====
All the below updates are as of 20th February 2022. My estimates on the completion are based on the progress I have seen in trips done in September and November 2021 and February 2022.

Thanks for posting the updates. Was curious to know whats happening on the kanakapura road. This was half done long time ago and have never seen any progress sofar. Updates would be highly appreciated.

[arijitkanrar]

Originally Posted by SeshSrini

Mod note: Trimming quoted post, please avoid quoting entire large post for short replies. Affects readability. Thanks.




Thanks for posting the updates. Was curious to know whats happening on the kanakapura road. This was half done long time ago and have never seen any progress sofar. Updates would be highly appreciated.

Been on Kanakpura Road recently. Just wanted to do a small drive.
Except for a few stretches Kanakpura road is in shambles. There are too many potholes and traffic is bad.
The road from Kanapura to Ramnagara on Mysore road is excellent.