Bengaluru: After linking the eastern parts of the city with the Bengaluru-Chennai expressway at Hoskote, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) to connect the northern parts with the Vijayawada expressway.As part of the project, the existing NH-44 (Bengaluru-Hyderabad) will be upgraded to a 10-lane road over a 90km stretch. The upgraded highway will feature a six-lane main carriageway from Devanahalli in Karnataka to Kodikonda in Andhra Pradesh. From Kodikonda, the road will be integrated with the greenfield section of the Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada expressway, passing through Kadapa.
The greenfield section, being built by NHAI, will span 342km between Kodikonda and Muppavaram in AP. Brownfield upgrades of existing road infrastructure include the Bengaluru-Kodikonda stretch on NH-44 and the Addanki-Vijayawada section on NH-16. A senior NHAI official said the Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada expressway will reduce travel time from 11-12 hours to 6-7 hours. “Upgrading NH-44 for a length of 90km from Devanahalli to Kodikonda is part of the expressway project. The existing four-lane highway will be expanded into a 10-lane road, with a six-lane main carriageway passing through Devanahalli, Chikkaballapura, up to the Andhra Pradesh border and Kodikonda,” the official said. The draft DPR on the project is expected by Feb. Road widening will begin from the Bengaluru side at Kannamangala Gate near Devanahalli. Most of the land required for the 10-lane expansion is already with NHAI, with the exception of three locations where railway overbridges are required.New cloverleaf planned According to the official, upgrading the existing road infrastructure will significantly ease traffic flow. “NH-44 is already integrated with the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) at Devanahalli. The proposed 10-lane road towards Chikkaballapura will pass beneath the existing STRR flyover near Devanahalli. At Kodikonda, a cloverleaf interchange will be built to connect NH-44 with the expressway,” the official said. Traffic flow on STRR towards Hoskote is expected to rise, as the stretch is already linked to the partially opened Bengaluru-Chennai expressway. Last year, NHAI began toll collection for a 70km stretch of the expressway between Hoskote and KGF.Streetlights & barriers Considering heavy traffic and a rise in road accidents on the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway, NHAI has decided to install barriers and highway streetlights along the stretch between the trumpet interchange and Devanahalli. Barriers of 1.5 metres will be installed along a 12.5km stretch, and streetlights will be installed for about 12km. “These measures are being taken to improve road safety. With rapid urbanisation in Devanahalli and the growth of industrial areas, traffic between the STRR intersection and Hebbal has increased significantly. Beyond the trumpet interchange, median barriers will be installed to prevent pedestrian accidents, and streetlights will be provided to improve visibility,” the official said.
