Bengaluru-Vijayawada Highway: New 343-Km Corridor to Cut Journey by 110 Km

The road connection between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh is set for a major upgrade with construction progressing on the Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada Economic Corridor (NH-544G).

The 343-km access-controlled highway is being developed to provide a faster link between Bengaluru and Vijayawada while strengthening connectivity across Andhra Pradesh's Rayalaseema region and its coastal and northern areas.

A key construction milestone has now been reached in Andhra Pradesh, where the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the excavation breakthrough for a 3.68-km tunnel under Package-9.

3.68-km tunnel reaches breakthrough milestone

The tunnel is being constructed between Porumamilla in YSR Kadapa district and Sitaramapuram in SPSR Nellore district.

Once operational, the tunnel will connect its two portals directly and bypass a longer existing road alignment. NHAI estimates that this section alone will shorten the route by approximately 17 km.

The Package-9 project has an estimated cost of ₹1,092.18 crore and is targeted for completion by mid-2027.

The tunnel is part of the larger corridor project, whose biggest passenger benefit is expected to come from a significantly shorter Bengaluru-Vijayawada road route.

Bengaluru to Vijayawada journey could become 110 km shorter

According to NHAI, the completed economic corridor will reduce the road distance between Bengaluru and Vijayawada by about 110 km.

Travel time could also fall by approximately three to four hours, potentially making road travel between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh considerably more efficient.

The highway is being designed as a six-lane, access-controlled corridor, allowing traffic to move at higher speeds while reducing interference from local traffic.

Corridor to strengthen links with NH-44 and NH-16

The new highway is expected to serve more than just Bengaluru-Vijayawada traffic.

The project will improve connections with NH-44 and NH-16, two important national highway routes, while providing direct connectivity to the Hindupur and Kopparthi industrial nodes.

The improved road network could therefore benefit freight movement as well as passenger traffic, particularly for businesses operating across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

What is planned on the 343-km highway?

The Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada Economic Corridor will include several infrastructure features aimed at supporting long-distance traffic.

Key components include:

• 343 km of six-lane, access-controlled highway
• 17 interchanges
• 10 wayside amenities
• Approximately 5.3 km of tunnel sections
• Around 21 km passing through forest areas

The corridor is intended to provide a safer and more direct route while improving access between Bengaluru, the Rayalaseema region and other parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Project construction has already set world records

The highway project has also attracted attention for construction achievements recorded during its development.

According to the project details, NHAI and concessionaire Rajpath Infracon Private Limited achieved Guinness World Records in January 2026 for large-scale bituminous concrete laying.

On January 6, the project recorded the laying of 28.89 lane-km of bituminous concrete in 24 hours, along with 10,655 metric tonnes of bituminous concrete in the same 24-hour period.

Further records were recorded on January 11 for continuous laying involving 57,500 metric tonnes of bituminous concrete and 156 lane-km.

The record-setting construction work was carried out across Packages 2 and 3.

Why the corridor matters

The Bengaluru-Kadapa-Vijayawada project is expected to play a broader role in improving road connectivity between southern Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

For motorists, the headline benefit is a potential 110-km reduction in travel distance and a three-to-four-hour saving. For industry, the corridor could offer a faster connection to important industrial centres and existing national highways.

With the Package-9 tunnel now reaching a major construction milestone and completion targeted for mid-2027, the project is moving toward a new road link that could substantially change travel between Bengaluru and Vijayawada.