Commuters travelling between Nelamangala and Tumakuru can expect some relief as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to open the service road by June 2026 while the entire highway widening project is now slated for completion by March 2027.

The widening of the 44.04-km stretch of National Highway 48, from the Nelamangala toll gate to Tumakuru, had come to a halt due to prolonged land acquisition issues. Although work resumed in April this year after a six-month break, commuters remain frustrated as the service roads were originally scheduled for completion by August 2025.

Launched in August 2022, the project involves expanding the existing four-lane carriageway to six lanes, and constructing two-lane service roads on either side to convert the highway into an access-controlled road. The plan was to first complete the service roads and divert traffic, thereby enabling smoother execution of work on the main carriageway.

However, the execution hit major roadblocks due to land acquisition challenges.

According to NHAI officials, there were land gaps at 35 different points. These arose from a combination of reasons — landowners not being compensated, certain properties not being included in official acquisition notifications, and resistance from landowners. These hurdles forced the project contractor to temporarily halt work.

An NHAI official said, “The delay was primarily due to land acquisition not going as planned. But most of these issues have now been sorted out, and the contractor has resumed work.”

Now, NHAI is moving forward with a revised timeline. Officials aim to finish the service roads by mid-2026, and complete the entire road widening work by March 2027.

The Tumakuru road is a vital corridor linking Bengaluru to central and northern parts of Karnataka, which is why the delays have inconvenienced thousands of daily commuters.

“The ongoing construction has caused severe inconvenience for drivers, particularly those commuting daily. We understand road work takes time, but there should be better planning. It’s been more than two years, and we’re still struggling on a half-dug-up highway,” said Muniyappa S., a Tumakuru-based businessperson.