The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to embark on additional projects along the Bengaluru-Mysuru access-controlled highway, allocating Rs 688 crore for road-safety initiatives. The planned projects focus on optimizing entry/exit points by establishing toll booths, particularly near six towns: Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, and Srirangapatna. This initiative aims to enhance the travel experience for motorists on short-distance journeys along the highway.

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simmha emphasized that, alongside toll booths, the NHAI will address traffic congestion through infrastructure improvements at these key points. Proposed enhancements include a flyover at the highway entry point near Manipal Hospital in Mysuru and widening the entry point near Panchamukhi temple to ensure seamless traffic flow from the NICE road side.

To facilitate these projects, the NHAI will acquire additional land, incurring an estimated cost of Rs 91 crore on the Bengaluru side and Rs 92 crore on the Mysuru side for widening entry points. Moreover, the infrastructure development for entry and exit points is estimated to cost around Rs 100 crore. Bids for these projects, totaling Rs 688 crore, have already been solicited by the NHAI, and an additional Rs 500 crore will be required for land acquisition.

Other road safety initiatives in the pipeline include the continuation of service roads, construction of a railway overbridge, a bridge over the Shimsha river, establishment of bus bays, and installation of metal beam crash barriers for the median. Since the full opening of the 117-km highway last year, demands for enhanced road-safety measures have persisted. The NHAI has invited bids for these projects under the hybrid annuity model.