Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway Misses Target, Not To Open In December 2024: Gadkari Confirms

In disappointing news, the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway which was supposed to be completed in December 2024, will be delayed.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari himself has said in Parliament that the project will not be completed on time, according to a report in The Times of India.

Last month, Gadkari expressed confidence that the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway and the surrounding ring road will be fully completed by December 2024. He shared this optimism while inaugurating the foundation stone laying ceremony for 18 national highway projects spanning 300 km and valued at Rs 6,200 crore in Karnataka.

The Chennai-Bengaluru expressway project is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to 120 minutes. This 262--Long Expressway will not only connect the two metropolises but also shorten the physical distance between Bangalore and Chennai by 38 kilometers. Cruising at speeds of 120 kmph, the expressway will truly turn the dream of a quick commute into a reality.

"The minister keeps postponing deadlines every six months," the daily quoted S Yuvraj of Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners' Association as saying.

It has to be noted that the issue between the contractor and NHAI over ash supply and construction material was causing delays in the completion of the works.

All major highway projects connecting Chennai with other districts in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states are only halfway completed, with their completion dates now pushed to 2025.

Apart from the Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway, the Chennai-Thiruvallur High (CTH) Road, and the East Coast Road (ECR) expansions will also face delays.

The reason behind the delay
In response to a query from DMK's P Wilson, Gadkari cited cyclones, contractor performance issues, and litigation as reasons for the delays.

The four-laning of the 31-km stretch of East Coast Road (ECR) between Mamallapuram and Mugaiyur, which was originally scheduled for completion by May, has now been delayed until July 2025. Only 32 per cent of the work has been finished so far. The National Highways Authority of India had previously considered withdrawing from the project due to delays in approvals from Tamil Nadu.

"Now, with all approvals in place, the project has started but is progressing at a snail's pace. This has prompted many Puducherry-bound vehicles to use the already congested Tambaram-Tindivanam highway," said D Srirangan of Kottivakkam.