BENGALURU: The ambitious 117.3-km Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, being readied for vehicles to zip past at 100 kmph, is facing hurdles in acquiring land near both its proposed toll plazas along the route. After accepting a handsome compensation from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the project implementing agency, dealers of both these Indian Oil Corporation Limited bunks have refused to vacate and have even brought court stays, say sources.
The project intends to convert the present four-lane highway into six-lane with two service lanes on either side, thereby bringing in 10 lanes totally. A senior NHAI official said, “Due to the pandemic and issues relating to it, the Centre has now extended the deadline of Phase-I from November 2021 to February 2022. In case of Phase-II, it has been extended till September 2022.”
The nearly Rs 8,000 crore project road has been dogged by land acquisition issues right from the beginning. However, the issue pertaining to petrol pump outlets is crucial as they are located in front of the two plazas which are responsible for collecting the revenue to maintain the highway when it begins operations, he said.“One petrol outlet is at Kaniminike while the other one is in Mandya. Both have promised to relocate and collected nearly Rs.50 crore as compensation from us but are now refusing to budge. We are unable to begin work on this stretch,” the official explained.
Another official said, “Efforts to get the stay vacated are on. We hope to get it vacated within two months.”
Japanese firm Toyota, which has a significant presence in Bidadi, and industry representatives of the Bidadi industrial Area have submitted memorandums to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways calling for two crucial elements to be incorporated in the Expressway plan.
“The entry and exit points leading to the bypass roads to head to the towns of Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur and Mandya need to be positioned better. For instance, to head to Ramanagara from the Expressway, a vehicle user has to take a detour of 7 km,” they said.As of now, 52.5% has been completed in Phase-I and 32% work in Phase-II. NHAI officials are confident that the revised deadline would be met.