After the inauguration of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, the old 4-lane highway that passes through several towns like Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, and Srirangapatna, that the expressway bypasses, is languishing with no proper maintenance. The last time the old highway was asphalted was many years ago. The road is rid with potholes, bad stretches, and road medians not maintained. Shrubs planted on the median have not been pruned and they now block the roadway.
“The condition of the old highway is very bad. It is extremely difficult and has become dangerous to drive on the old highway. Those of us residing in towns along the expressway are forced to use this road. We have been demanding that the road be relaid immediately for many months now, to no avail,” said Byregowda, a farmer from Mandya.
The old highway is also presently under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which is yet to hand it over back to the state government, five months after the inauguration of the expressway. The Union government declared the 367 km long Bengaluru-Bantwal as National Highway-275, including Bengaluru-Mysuru State Highway-17 as a National Highway in 2014.
The old Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway is in use for over 50 km in different stretches - from Kadumane Hotel in Bidadi to Kallugopanahalli, from Basavanapura in Ramanagara taluk to Bhairapatna in Channapatna taluk, Rudrakshipura Gate in Maddur taluk to Maddur City, from Sanjo Hospital in Mandya to Mandya City outskirts and from Srirangapatna to Siddalingapura in Mysuru. The expressway bypasses these towns at these stretches.
Apart from local vehicles, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses ply on this road. Now that the NHAI has banned two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and all other slow-moving vehicles from the expressway starting Tuesday, the traffic on the old highway is expected to shoot up again. With the condition of the road being bad, the ordeal of driving through the old highway will only test commuters further.
“The government seems to be concentrating only on the expressway, which bypasses us all. We have lost businesses, and the economy of our towns has taken a hit because of the expressway. Now even our roads are also not being maintained well and all our appeals are falling on deaf ears. Local politicians must realise that the voters are staying in towns along the old highway and those who zoom past our towns on the expressway, do not vote for them here,” said an angry Shivappa M., whose Channapatna toy store along the old highway near Channapatna has fallen on bad times after the expressway was inaugurated.
“Will take up development after NHAI hands over the road”
The road was being maintained by Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL). However, it was taken over by NHAI after it was declared a national highway in 2014. Since then NHAI has been maintaining the road. Now that the expressway is inaugurated, NHAI should hand over the over 50 km long old highway across many stretches back to the state government, but with a one-time grant to develop the highway.
“The development and maintenance of Bengaluru-Mysuru old highway will come under the State PWD National Highway Division. According to the rules, the NHAI has to hand over these stretches with a grant for one time upgradation. Then, we will continue the maintenance of this road. We have already submitted the proposal to NHAI to hand over stretches of the old highway and release the grant. After this process is completed, we will take up work on the old highway,” said Selvakumar. S, Director of KRDCL and Principal Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD) said.
