The Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway project has been further postponed, with a revised completion date now set between December 2025 and July 2026. This update was revealed by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during a parliamentary session on Friday. The project, which began in 2022 with an initial target completion year of 2023, has encountered multiple setbacks. Responding to a question from Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan, Gadkari stated that only 100.7 km of the 263.4 km total length has been finished so far. The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 15,188 crore, is now facing a delay of more than three years. Examining progress by state, in Karnataka, 71.7 km of the route has been completed, from Bengaluru to Bethamangala. The section from Sundarapalya to Baireddipalli is likely to be finished by December 2025. In Andhra Pradesh, 29 km of the project has been completed, specifically from Bangarupalem to Gudipalla. The remaining link from Baireddipalli to Bangarupalem is expected to be completed by June 2026. In Tamil Nadu, the sections from Gudipalla to Walajahpet (24 km) and Walajahpet to Arakkonam (24.5 km) are projected to be completed by October 2025. The Arakkonam to Kanchipuram (25.5 km) section may be completed by March 2026, and the Kanchipuram to Sriperumbudur (31.7 km) stretch is anticipated to be finished by December 2025. The delays are due to various challenges, according to Gadkari, including complexities in land acquisition, delays in acquiring necessary approvals from state governments, and technical problems. In Karnataka, land acquisition hurdles, issues with providing adequate compensation for affected properties, and public opposition have been primary factors. In Tamil Nadu, delays in receiving permissions for technical works, such as rock cutting and blasting, have contributed to the setbacks. In Andhra Pradesh, the process of obtaining permission to begin construction in the sensitive Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary has presented difficulties. Once complete, the high-speed expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai to under four hours, down from the current 6-7 hours. It is also expected to accelerate transport and logistics while strengthening economic and social connections between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Despite some local criticism and concern over the repeated delays, the central government maintains that the project is a high priority and aims to complete it swiftly, with the cooperation of the state governments.
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