Two-wheelers banned on Bengaluru-Chennai expressway after fatal crash kills four: Report

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has banned two-wheeler entry on the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, a day after a tragic accident claimed four lives, including that of a two-year-old girl.

According to a report by Indian Express, the accident occurred on Sunday night near Kuppahalli in Bangarpet, Kolar district, when an SUV lost control and crashed head-on into a two-wheeler traveling in the opposite direction.

The victims were identified as Mahesh (45), the SUV driver; Ratnamma (60), a relative seated in the front; Udvitha (2), and an unidentified bike rider, all of whom died on the spot due to the severe impact, the report added.

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Four other passengers in the SUV, Sushmitha, Virutha, Sujatha, and Sunil, sustained injuries and were rushed to hospitals in Kolar Gold Fields for treatment. The family, residents of Kammasandra in KGF, was returning from Bengaluru when the accident occurred.

Police suspect rash driving and speeding to be the primary causes of the crash, the report added.

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.

Spanning 260 km, the expressway traverses Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu before reaching Sriperumbudur near Chennai. Designed for high-speed travel, the four-lane corridor permits a maximum speed of 120 kmph.

Touted as South India’s first greenfield expressway, this ₹17,900-crore project is expected to revolutionize travel between Bengaluru and Chennai by reducing the journey duration from seven hours to just three.

The stretch is already witnessing a daily footfall of around 1,600 to 2,000 vehicles. Motorists currently exit the expressway via a village road to reach Mulbagal and the Andhra Pradesh border.

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