

BENGALURU: After a stretch of the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway was flooded less than a week after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) carried out an inspection of the expressway, including the stretch of Sangabasavana Doddi near Ramanagara which was waterlogged.
Some people had to cut open the mesh to go reach their villages or cross the road.NHAI assured that they are working to address the complaints raised by commuters, and various measures have been taken.
The officials clarified the flooding took place after villagers dumped soil on the drain. NHAI has laid two rows of pipes to drain out the water.
Regarding the expansion joint at Bidadi, an NHAI press release said that the road is now open for traffic. NHAI said chain link fencing will be maintained strictly, and fence-repairing will be given top priority to ensure the safety of commuters on the six-lane high-speed corridor.
“Local residents have flagged the non-availability of the service road. This is an access-controlled highway, with the provision of a 112 km two-lane service road on either side. The NHAI is making the service road,” NHAI said, adding that a robust incident management system that includes deployment of ambulances, patrol vehicles and cranes to address emergencies and vehicle breakdowns has been put in place.
An estimated 55,000 passenger car units are using the expressway and the travel time has reduced to 1.5 hours from 4 hours.