Bangalore-Mysore Highway: Access-Restricted National Highway, Not an Expressway NHAI clarifies

The recently inaugurated Bangalore-Mysore highway, which received widespread attention after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, has been officially clarified by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). Contrary to public perception, it is not an expressway but an access-restricted national highway.

NHAI has explicitly stated that the Bangalore-Mysore highway is designed for a maximum speed of 100 km per hour, not 120 km per hour, which is the speed limit on expressways. The authority's decision to impose fines on motorists who exceed the specified speed limit was driven by the concern for the increasing number of accidents on this route.

Motorists who were fined for speeding expressed objections on social media, claiming that the highway should be considered an expressway, allowing them to travel at a speed of 120 km per hour. However, NHAI's Regional Officer, Vivek Jaiswal, clarified that their official notification clearly designates it as a restricted highway, despite its expressway-like infrastructure, leading to the colloquial reference as an expressway.

To ensure compliance with the restricted speed limit, authorities have taken measures to penalize vehicles that exceed 100 km per hour. A recent order has also banned autos, bikes, and slow-moving vehicles from using the highway, allowing only vehicles traveling within the prescribed speed range of 80 to 100 km per hour.

It is essential to differentiate between expressways and highways. Expressways are distinguished by wider lanes and numerous safety features, with a maximum speed limit of 120 km per hour. In contrast, highways like the Bangalore-Mysore route have a lower maximum speed limit of 100 km per hour.

To enforce speed regulations effectively, the police have integrated AI-based cameras and interceptors to monitor and control speed limit violations. Alok Kumar, ADGP Traffic and Road Safety, has emphasized that the six-lane Bangalore-Mysore highway is a restricted national highway (275) maintained by NHAI, not an expressway.

With this clarification from NHAI and the authorities' determination to enforce speed limits, motorists are urged to adhere to the prescribed speed for their safety and the safety of others using the access-restricted Bangalore-Mysore highway.