Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway Claimed 121 Lives In Last Seven Months

In the past seven months 121 persons have died in 398 road crashes on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, Lok Sabha was told.

The 119-km expressway, which is billed as an answer to traffic jams between the two cities reducing the travel time to barely 75 minutes, was opened to traffic in January.

In response to a question, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (27 July) that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has constituted a Road Safety Committee for safety inspection of the access controlled highway and the committee visited the site during 17-20 July.

“Further, the police department has taken initiative to enforce speed limits with interceptors,” he added.

The high-speed corridor was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12.

There have been reports of speeding violations beyond 120 kmph by commuters, which has also been cited as the main reason for the accidents. In order to alert drivers, the speed limit sign boards have been installed at regular intervals and additional information boards at all the entry-exit locations have also been provided.

According to the Ministry, the government is focusing more on building expressways for faster movement of both goods and passenger vehicles, there is a need find ways to prevent crashes. These include completely prohibiting entry of two-wheelers, three-wheelers and other slow- moving vehicles and increasing highway patrolling.

As per the ministry, four route patrolling vehicles have been deployed on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway stretch. There is also camera surveillance of the corridor.

“Two- and three-wheelers, and other slow moving vehicles like non-motorised vehicles, agricultural tractors (with or without trailers) are prohibited from using the Bengaluru-Mysuru access controlled highway,” the ministry maintained.

Moreover, four ambulances equipped with Basic Life Support System and paramedic staff have been deployed to attend the emergencies on the highway.