In response to a rising number of fatal accidents on the newly constructed Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway, the Kolar district police have issued a sweeping ban on the movement of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and tractors along certain stretches of the highway that pass through the district.
The move comes after over 15 fatalities were reported in more than 10 accidents in the past three months. Despite a circular issued by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in March 2025 prohibiting two-wheelers on the expressway, violations have continued, prompting the police to take stricter enforcement measures.
On Monday, June 9, tragedy struck again when a car rammed into the divider near the Hedaginabele toll plaza in Malur taluk of Kolar district, killing two people on the spot. After this accident, the police banned slow-moving vehicles.
“Usually, slow-moving vehicles on the expressway force faster vehicles to brake suddenly, which often leads to loss of control and accidents,” said a police official.
A police official from BEML Nagar in KGF said, “Despite the NHAI’s ban on two-wheelers on the stretch, they continue to use the expressway. In addition, slow-moving vehicles such as three-wheelers, tractors, and bullock carts also ply on the route, posing serious safety risks. We have now put up signage banning the movement of two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and tractors, and have imposed a ban on these categories of vehicles within our jurisdiction. Strict action will be taken against the violators.”
Greenfield project
The 262-km Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway project is intended to improve connectivity between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The greenfield project, with an estimated cost of ₹17,000 crore, is designed to reduce travel time from six hours to around four hours. The expressway is intended to provide an alternative to the route passing through Hosur, Krishnagiri, and Ranipet, which covers about 340 km and takes nearly six hours to travel. With congestion steadily worsening on the existing highway, the need for a quicker and more efficient route has become increasingly urgent.
Only 71 km of the total length has been completed and opened to traffic, primarily in the Karnataka stretch. The remaining sections are still under various phases of construction. Originally scheduled for completion by August 2025, the deadline has now been extended till June 2026 due to construction delays.
The Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway is expected to become a major economic corridor, stretching from Hoskote in Karnataka to Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.
Published – June 13, 2025 07:41 am IST
