Minister for Public Works Satish Jarkiholi said trucks and heavy vehicles proceeding towards Mysuru from Bengaluru have been barred from exiting the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway at Tubinakere Industrial Area in view of the traffic congestion and accidents they were causing on the service road.

Mr. Jarkiholi shared this information in the Legislative Council recently when Dinesh Gooli Gowda, MLC, sought an explanation from the government on the abrupt closure of certain entry and exit points on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, causing inconvenience to the public.

Clarifying that the entry and exit points on the highway at Bidadi, Mandya, Pandavapura, and Srirangapatna taluks had not been closed, the Minister pointed out that the trucks heading towards Mysuru from Bengaluru were exiting the highway at Elchakanahalli in Tubinakere Industrial Area to bypass the toll plaza.

The trucks, which were exiting the highway at Tubinakere to avoid the toll plaza, were causing traffic congestion and accidents. Following protests from local villagers and motorists, the trucks had been barred from entering the service road, he said.

However, Mr. Jarkiholi sought to make it clear that the restriction had been imposed only on trucks and heavy vehicles. Other vehicles, including cars and jeeps, were allowed to access the exit from the highway to the service road to reach nearby villages and towns, including Pandavapura.

The Minister said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had given a report that the service road had not been completely closed. The trucks proceeding towards Mysuru were exiting the highway and entering the service road at Tubinakere to avoid paying the toll at the Gananguru toll plaza situated a couple of kilometres away from Tubinakere.

Citing information from the Minister, Mr. Gooli Gowda, in a statement noted that vehicles travelling from Bengaluru to Mysuru had an exit point at Wonderla, an exit and entry points at Bidadi and Ramanagara, two entries and exits each in Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, and Srirangapatna taluks. Out of the two entries and exits in Tubinakere, one exit at Elchakanahalli has been closed for heavy vehicles and trucks while the other entry and exit at Yaliyuru remains open.

For vehicles proceeding to Bengaluru from Mysuru, there are two entries and exits each from the highway to the service road in Srirangapatna taluk, Tubinakere Industrial Area, Mandya, Maddur, and Channapatna taluks. There was one entry and exit in Ramanagara taluk and two entries and one exit in Bidadi taluk, he said.

Mr. Jarkiholi also pointed out that the service road between Bengaluru and Mysuru NH 275 has been completed as per the project agreement.