The number of fatalities on the newly-built Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway has reached 100, with over 350 individuals injured in the past three months. Efforts are being made to improve safety on the expressway. Authorities in Ramanagara and Mandya, which cover a significant portion of the highway, have conducted a thorough analysis of the accidents and made recommendations to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the implementation of corrective measures.

The expressway facilitates the daily travel of 56,000 vehicles and has reduced the time it takes to travel between Bengaluru and Mysuru to around 75 minutes. It also serves as a major connecting route to neighboring states Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

According to information provided by district police in Ramanagara and Mandya, there have been 79 fatal accidents and 226 non-fatal accidents on the highway. These accidents have resulted in 94 deaths and 353 injuries. Mysuru City Police, which oversees a small section of the expressway, has reported four fatal accidents resulting in five deaths. Speeding and reckless driving have been identified as the main causes of these accidents. Police officers have emphasized the importance of drivers being aware of safe driving practices on the expressway.

During inspections, police have also found other factors contributing to accidents, such as the absence of skywalks, stagnant water, insufficient road signage near access points, and lack of streetlights under flyovers.

In a report to NHAI, Ramanagara’s superintendent of police, Karthik Reddy, has outlined various flaws in the expressway project that require immediate attention. “Our goal is to save lives. Based on our findings, we have provided NHAI with a series of instructions. Additionally, we urge motorists to follow speed limits and maintain proper lane discipline,” he stated. Mandya’s superintendent of police, Yathish N, has also provided his suggestions for addressing speeding issues on the expressway.

Recommended measures to overcome obstacles include the installation of speed cameras to monitor and penalize drivers who exceed the speed limit. It has been advised that signboards be placed on the service road and at access points to indicate village limits and accident-prone areas. The need for speed bumps on the service road has also been highlighted.

Another concern is the stagnation of water at various points along the expressway, which has led to accidents. The implementation of proper engineering works to address this issue has been emphasized, citing recent incidents where collisions occurred due to vehicles losing control on waterlogged sections.

Finally, the construction of a skywalk or subway has been recommended to enhance pedestrian safety.

The police have requested the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to construct skywalks at different points along the expressway. One such location is Kaniminike, where the absence of a skywalk is endangering villagers who need to cross the bustling road. Similarly, in Sheshagiri village, farmers are facing challenges accessing their farmlands due to the lack of a skywalk over the busy expressway.