The much-anticipated Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, designed to enhance connectivity between the two major cities, is now expected to be fully functional by June 2026—a delay from its original completion target of August 2025.
According to reports, ongoing construction challenges have slowed progress, particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, even though the Karnataka section was completed and informally opened in December 2024. As of now, only 71 km of the 262-km expressway has been completed.
The 68-km Karnataka stretch was opened to traffic last month, but the expressway is yet to be officially inaugurated. Responding to a query from Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed that the remaining sections should be completed by mid-2026.
This Rs 17,900-crore expressway, designed for high-speed travel at 120 km/h, will reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai from seven hours to just three. Once fully operational, it is expected to enhance connectivity, support economic growth, and improve travel efficiency between the two cities.
Currently, the expressway witnesses a daily traffic flow of 1,600 to 2,000 vehicles. However, in response to a fatal accident that claimed four lives, including a two-year-old girl, the NHAI recently banned two-wheeler entry on the route.
At present, motorists exit via village roads to reach Mulbagal and cross into Andhra Pradesh, awaiting the expressway’s full completion for a seamless travel experience.
