The partially opened Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway, designed to cut travel time to under three hours, is facing severe traffic jams due to frequent malfunctions in its automated toll system. Commuters report delays and frustration, undermining the project’s promise of efficiency. Only 71 km of the planned 262 km stretch is operational
The ambitious Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway, touted as a game-changer for intercity travel, has hit a roadblock—literally. Despite its promise of faster connectivity, commuters are grappling with long queues and congestion caused by repeated failures in the fully automated toll plazas.
Notable Updates
• Project scope: Planned length of 262 km, but only 71 km completed so far.
• Operational stretch: Opened informally in December 2024 between Hedigenabele (near Hoskote) and Sundarapalya (near Kolar Gold Fields).
• Technical glitches: Automated toll systems frequently malfunction, forcing manual interventions and slowing traffic.
• Impact on commuters: Delays erode the expressway’s intended benefit of reducing travel time to under three hours.
• Construction status: Remaining sections are still under development, with full completion expected by mid-2026.
Major Takeaways
• The toll system’s reliability is critical to the expressway’s success.
• Commuters’ frustration highlights the need for robust testing before full rollout.
• The project’s credibility is at stake unless technical and construction delays are swiftly addressed.
Sources: The Hindu, Swarajya, OneIndia