Bengaluru to Chennai in 3 hours: South India’s first greenfield expressway to be fully operational by June 2026

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The ambitious Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, aimed at improving connectivity between the two cities, is now expected to be fully operational by June 2026, almost a year later than the original target of August 2025.

The delay has been attributed to ongoing construction challenges, as reported by The Hindu, citing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Stretching across 262 km, only 71 km of the expressway has been completed so far, with the remaining sections still encountering obstacles. Although the Karnataka portion of the highway was completed and informally opened in December 2024, progress in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu has been slow.

The 68-km Karnataka stretch of the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway was opened for vehicular traffic last month, though the highway is yet to be officially inaugurated. Addressing a query from Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya, Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari informed that the remaining stretches are now scheduled for completion by mid-2026.

Stretching over 260 km, the expressway passes through Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu before reaching Sriperumbudur near Chennai. Built for high-speed travel, this four-lane corridor allows a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

As South India’s first greenfield expressway, this Rs 17,900-crore project is set to transform travel between Bengaluru and Chennai, cutting the journey time from seven hours to just three.

Once the expressway is fully operational, it is expected to boost connectivity, support economic growth, and make travel between Bengaluru and Chennai much faster and smoother.

The stretch is already witnessing a daily footfall of around 1,600 to 2,000 vehicles. Recently, the NHAI banned two-wheeler entry on the expressway, a day after a tragic accident claimed four lives, including that of a two-year-old girl.

Motorists currently exit the expressway via a village road to reach Mulbagal and the Andhra Pradesh border.