Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, on Thursday (28 July), told the Lok Sabha that six of the ten development packages for the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway are currently under construction.

Three packages of construction have begun on the 106 km-long road in Tamil Nadu. The last package, which stretches 12 km with the other half in Andhra Pradesh, has been awarded to a contractor and will start shortly.

The entire project has been broken down into ten packages and is aimed to be completed by March 2024 and is anticipated to cost Rs 12,500 crore.

This greenfield, signal-free highway extends 262 kilometers through Tamil Nadu (85 km), Andhra Pradesh (71 km), and Karnataka (106 km).

The expressway would allow motorists to reach Bengaluru in under three hours from Chennai, depending on speed. And at least 9,500 passenger car units travel between the two cities every day.

“This road is designed for a speed of 120 KMPH and all other factors permitting, motorists can clock such speeds on it,” said a source. It would be completely fenced off, to ensure no animals stray onto the road, which would not have any service lane for local traffic. The road crosses the built-up area only at two locations, reports The Hindu.

The project marks the first expressway project in South India and it shall give a big fillip to the logistics movement given both Bengaluru and Chennai are home to upcoming logistics parks.

Hoskote, Malur, Bangarapet, Kolar Gold Fields, Venkatagirikota, Palamaner, Bangarupalem, Chittoor, Ranipet, Sriperumbudur are some of the cities on the Chennai Bangalore Expressway.