August 4, 2023: Two-wheelers vehicles were involved in 30% of the accidents that took place on the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway in the past six months, the road transport ministry has said. Most of these accidents were fatal or grievous injuries, it added.
While 65-75% of vehicles like cars/bikes were involved in over-speeding accidents with speeds up to 160 kmph, 25% accident cases involved rear-end collision, mainly due to slow-moving vehicles occupying the right most lane and not following lane discipline, data show.
To ensure the safety of commuters on the Bangalore-Mysore Access Controlled Highway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has banned the movement of two and three-wheelers on the access-controlled highway starting August 1, 2023. “The upkeep of safety on the national highways is a high priority for the NHAI, and it is making all-out efforts to ensure safe and smooth travel for the commuters,” the ministry said.
“The Bangalore-Mysore Highway has been developed as a high-speed corridor with speed limits varying from 80-100 kilometre per hour for motor vehicles of various descriptions. The movement of high-speed vehicles may pose risk to the safety of comparatively slow-moving vehicles. Therefore, slow-moving vehicles such as two and three-wheelers have been prohibited from using the corridor, which encompasses a portion of the NH-275,” it said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on July 28, said the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway had been opened for traffic hastily without completing all the work, including road safety measures. The CM made the remark after inspecting the stretch at Hale Budanur near Mandya.
2-3 wheelers can use toll-free service road
Passengers driving two-and-three-wheeler vehicles could use the seven-metre wide, toll-free, two-lane service road that is provided on either side of the highway, the road transport ministry said. At present, there were three gaps on the service road due to railway over-bridges at Bididi, Ramanagara and Channapatna and Mandya, but vehicles can use the Old Mysore Road at these gaps, it added.
“Drivers of such vehicles can travel on the service road for 79.6 km and 35.4 km on the Old Mysore Road to go from one end to another end. However, if they want to go to these three towns along the highway, the service road is available,” it added.
To make the service road continuous throughout the 118-km-long Bangalore-Mysore Highway, the construction of three railway over-bridges on the service road will be taken up shortly. The NHAI will also improve the by-passed portion of the Old Mysore-Bengaluru Road.
