City residents slam Gadkari for his remarks on new expressway to Chennai

NT Correspondent

 Bengaluru

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari made some big promises regarding highways while answering queries during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The minister said that 26 green expressways would be constructed, including one linking Bengaluru with Chennai, which would bring down travel time considerably.

Gadkari also claimed that it would take just two hours to travel from Chennai to Bengaluru through the proposed expressway. The distance between the two metros is around 350 km by road and the existing highway has many traffic bottlenecks while approaching Bengaluru and Chennai.

After his statement went viral, there was a backlash from Bengalureans on social media. Many claimed it takes over two hours to reach the city outskirts from their homes. Moreover, a distance of 350 km can be covered in two hours only if a vehicle travels at a speed of 175 km an hour! Anwesha Singh, a journalist who frequently travels from Bengaluru to Chennai, said, “It takes more than 10 hours to reach Chennai, and even longer if you are stuck in traffic. It takes more than two hours to reach Indiranagar from Kengeri because of Bengaluru’s terrible traffic. Before making such claims, the government should tackle existing problems like traffic jams within the city and poor infrastructure.”

Experts said this isn’t the first time the government is making such tall claims. Dr Ashish Verma, a Bengaluru-based mobility expert, said, “The idea behind building expressways is good, and it will benefit people. But there is an urgent need to address issues like traffic congestion within Bengaluru. Before investing money in highways, the government should fix the potholes, take steps to reduce vehicular congestion and improve mobility.”

Gadkari has claimed that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has no shortage of funds and is financially strong. He also promised that before the 2024 elections, the standard of Indian roads will be on par with that of the US.