Karnataka to shorten Salem-Bengaluru route by 25 km

The Karnataka government has decided to shorten the route of Salem-Bengaluru highway to facilitate travelers to reach Bengaluru faster while commuting on NH 844. According to sources, the project will cost ₹2,061 crore and will involve construction of a new route via Rajakottai and Palacode, thereby shortening the distance to Bengaluru by 25 km. The NHAI had earlier upgraded the state highway between Malur and Adhiyaman Kottai as NH 844. The project consists of three phases: the first will cover the 23-km distance between Neraluru in Karnataka and Thorapalli Agraharam in Tamil Nadu. The second will extend from Thorapalli Agraharam to Jittandahalli, and the third will extend from Jittandahalli to Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu. NHAI has called for tenders for phases 2 and 3 of the project, which falls exclusively in Tamil Nadu. NHAI has also completed a declaration of land acquisition for 80% of the land required for the project in Tamil Nadu and will soon be fixing the compensation for it.