1901 accidents, 262 deaths on Bengaluru–Mysuru national highway in three years

Mysuru: The Bengaluru–Mysuru National Highway-275 has witnessed a disturbing rise in road accidents over the last three years, with official data revealing that 1,901 accidents occurred between 2023 and 2025, resulting in the death of 262 people.

The figures were shared by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in response to queries related to vehicular movement and safety along the busy stretch. According to the data, the highway covers a distance of around 120 kilometres, comprising 61 km from Bengaluru to Nidigatta and 59 km from Nidigatta to Mysuru.

This stretch passes through multiple districts, including Mysuru (10–12 km), Mandya (60–66 km), Ramanagara or Bengaluru South district (around 30 km), and Bengaluru city limits (10–12 km), making it one of the most heavily used corridors in the state.

The report states that apart from the 262 fatalities, as many as 351 people suffered serious injuries, with several victims reportedly left permanently disabled. Another 1,365 people sustained minor injuries, while 846 individuals narrowly escaped without any injuries, despite being involved in accidents.

Year-wise data highlights that 2023 recorded the highest number of accidents and deaths. In that year alone, 797 accidents were reported, claiming 149 lives. In 2024, the number of accidents dropped to 548, with 56 fatalities. However, the trend did not show a significant improvement in 2025, as 556 accidents were reported, leading to 57 deaths.

Officials have attributed the high number of fatalities to multiple factors, including the lack of adequate emergency medical care facilities along the highway. Rash and negligent driving, over-speeding, violation of lane discipline, and driver fatigue have also been cited as major contributors to accidents on the expressway.

One of the long-pending demands has been the establishment of a dedicated accident care centre in Mandya district to ensure timely treatment for injured victims. Although a proposal was submitted in 2023 by the Health and Family Welfare Department through the Mandya district administration to set up a 100-bed trauma and emergency care centre with NHAI support, the project has remained on paper and is yet to be implemented.

Road safety activists and local residents have repeatedly raised concerns that delays in providing immediate medical attention are increasing the number of preventable deaths. Given the high-speed nature of traffic on the expressway, even a short delay in reaching a hospital often proves fatal, they argue.

NHAI officials clarified that the statistics provided are based on accident data officially recorded at the time of each incident. They reiterated that between 2023 and 2025, a total of 1,901 accidents occurred on the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway, resulting in 262 deaths, 351 cases of permanent disability, and injuries to over 1,300 people.

The alarming figures have once again highlighted the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic rules, improved road safety measures, and the establishment of fully equipped emergency care centres along the highway to reduce loss of life.

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