Bengaluru: The Bangalore-Mysore Highway, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, is only an access-restricted national highway. The National Highway Authority has clarified that it is not an expressway. It said that this is a highway with a maximum speed of 100 km per hour and not an expressway with a maximum speed of 120 km per hour.
This clarification came out from the highway authority after it started imposing fines on motorists who exceed the maximum speed limit of 100 km per hour in order to prevent the increasing number of accidents on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. Many motorists objected to the fine imposed by the police and the highway authority, arguing on social media that the expressway here can travel at a speed of 120 km per hour.
Commenting on this, NHAI Regional Officer Vivek Jaiswal said that in our notification it is clearly mentioned that this is a restricted highway and not an expressway. This highway is designed for a maximum speed of 100 kmph and not 120 kmph. The highway infrastructure is like an expressway, so people call it an expressway.
As access to the highway is restricted, the authorities are penalizing vehicles that exceed the maximum speed limit. Vivek Jaiswal said that an order was issued recently banning autos, bikes and slow vehicles from the highway except for vehicles traveling at a speed of 80 to 100 kmph.
Expressways have wider lanes than highways. Also built with many features. While the maximum speed limit on expressways is 120 kmph, the maximum speed limit on highways is 100 kmph. However, the Bangalore-Mysore highway was called an expressway from the beginning.
Police are using AI based cameras and interceptors to keep control over speed limit. ADGP Traffic and Road Safety Alok Kumar also recently said that the six-lane highway between Bangalore and Mysore is not an expressway. He said that this is an access-restricted national highway 275, which is maintained by NHAI.