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Two-Wheelers Banned From Bangalore-Chennai Expressway - Here's Why
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has banned two-wheelers from entering the Bangalore-Chennai Expressway. A 68km section of the Expressway, which runs entirely in Karnataka was informally opened last month.
According to a report by the Times of India, the reason for the ban is the first fatal crash on the Expressway. TOI reports that a bike entered the Expressway from the wrong side of the road and crashed into a four-wheeler claiming four lives at Bangarpet taluk in Kolar district on Sunday.
A NHAI official told TOI, "We urge two-wheeler riders not to use this expressway. Expressways are designed for driving at a maximum of 120 kmph. It is not safe for bikers to use the stretch when other vehicles go at high speed. They put their lives and other road users at risk. After this stretch was unofficially opened for motorists, many bikers hit the road for the new experience, but lives are precious. Bikers should avoid this road."
The NHAI has instructed all highway patrol vehicles to prevent two-wheelers from entering the Expressway and signboards are set to be installed to ensure that the message is visible to warn away any rider looking to get onto the high-speed road.
The NHAI official also cautioned cars and other users of the Expressway to drive within the rules, "We also urge car drivers and other vehicles using the road to watch their speed. Some people tend to go at high speed after seeing an empty road, which could lead to accidents."
This is not the first time that two-wheelers have been banned from an Expressway in Karnataka. The Bangalore Mysore Expressway too saw several fatal accidents after it was opened which led to the banning of two-wheelers and autos from the fastest road connection between Karnataka's biggest cities.
The Bangalore-Chennai Expressway or as it is officially known - National Expressway 7, is currently partially operational (the Karantaka section). The four-lane Expressway starts at Hoskote in the Bangalore Rural district of Karnataka and it passes through Andhra Pradesh before dipping into Tamil Nadu and ending in Sriperumbudur, just 40km from Chennai.
The 258km Expressway, which has a speed limit of 120km/h, is expected to cut the travelling time between Bangalore and Chennai from the current 7-8 hours (~350km) to around 3 hours. While the Karnataka section is completed and open, the sections of the Expressway in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are expected to be completed by August 2025.
DriveSpark Thinks
The ban on two-wheelers from the Bangalore-Chennai Expressway seems excessive, unfairly blaming all riders for accidents caused by the mistakes of the few. While most Indian bikes may struggle to maintain triple-digit speeds on Expressways, attributing crashes to slower traffic is unreasonable. Instead, the government should focus on road safety through better education and stricter rule enforcement.
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