Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway Update: 3-Hour Travel Still A Wait – When Will The Full Road Be Ready?

While the Karnataka stretch of the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway has been completed and opened for traffic in December, the Tamil Nadu portion has faced delays. As a result, the completion date of the project has gone beyond the August 2025 deadline.

The expressway is now expected to be fully operational by December 2025 due to factors such as monsoon rains, utility shifting delays, borrow area approvals, and financial constraints faced by contractors, according to a report in DT Next.

The expressway, spanning 262 km from Hosakote near Bengaluru to Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu via Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, remains incomplete in both Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Status of Tamil Nadu Sections

According to a work progress report shared by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Lok Sabha, the 106-km Tamil Nadu stretch is being constructed in four sections:

• Gudipala (AP) to Walajahpet (72% complete)
• Walajahpet to Arakkonam (90% complete)
• Arakkonam to Kancheepuram (52% complete, facing the most delays)
• Kancheepuram to Sriperumbudur (65% complete)

The Arakkonam to Kancheepuram segment is progressing the slowest due to financial issues and delays in land and crop compensation related to high-tension utility shifting. The report claims that this stretch is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The Kancheepuram to Sriperumbudur section is set for completion by September, while the Walajahpet to Arakkonam section is targeted for July.

Karnataka Stretch Open for Public Use

The completed 71-km Karnataka stretch is already in use, primarily by locals and travelers enjoying long drives.

Talking about the project in Karnataka, an official told The new Indian Express, "The expressway has exit points at Malur, Bangarpet and Bethamangala. As the entire stretch is yet to be completed, we are not collecting any toll fee. The expressway is now used by locals around the stretch and those who go on long drives,"

As per multiple reports, the 262-kilometer expressway will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai from six hours to three hours.