National Highway 275

National Highway 275
Country	India
Type	NH
Route	275
Length km	353
Direction a	West
Terminus a	Bantwal
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Madikeri
States	Karnataka

National Highway 275 is a primary arterial highway in India connecting coastal Karnataka with the interior Western Ghats and the Mysuru plateau. It links port-proximate Bantwal with the hill station Madikeri, passing through key urban centers and strategic junctions that connect to the Golden Quadrilateral and regional transport corridors. The corridor influences logistics between Mangalore, Bengaluru, Mysore (Mysuru), Coorg (Kodagu), and multiple industrial, educational, and touristic hubs.

Route description

The route originates near Bantwal adjacent to National Highway 66 corridors close to the Netravati River and proceeds inland toward Mangalore International Airport and the Karnataka Coastal Region. It traverses the urban agglomeration of Mangalore, feeds into the industrial belt around Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway linkages, and continues through Hassan and Mysuru before ascending the Western Ghats to Madikeri in Kodagu district. Along the alignment it intersects major state highways serving Udupi, Shimoga (Shivamogga), and agricultural towns such as Sakleshpur and Bantwal taluk, and passes near institutions like Indian Institute of Science and Karnataka State Open University affiliates. The terrain varies from coastal plains adjacent to the Arabian Sea to ghats sections characterized by steep gradients near Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and river valleys of the Hemavati River and Kaveri River tributaries.

History

The corridor evolved from colonial-era cart tracks linking the Madras Presidency port hinterlands to hill stations and coffee plantations established by British planters and administrators associated with entities like the East India Company and later provincial authorities. Post-independence national road planning under institutions such as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways formalized the route, integrating pre-existing state roads and rail-parallel links like the Mangalore–Bangalore railway. Major upgrades were influenced by national infrastructure programs, including the National Highways Development Project and later phases of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, which reclassified and renumbered corridors to create the current designation and alignment.

Junctions and major intersections

Key intersections include a western terminus connection to National Highway 66 near Bantwal; junctions with the Bengaluru–Mangaluru Expressway feeder corridors near Mysuru and Hassan; interchange nodes close to Mangalore Junction railway precincts; and links with state arteries serving Udupi and Chikkamagaluru. Strategic junctions connect to industrial and logistics nodes such as the Mangalore Special Economic Zone, the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre approaches, and arterial links toward Bangalore Rural and Dakshina Kannada administrative centers. The highway intersects corridors that serve pilgrimage routes to Shravanabelagola and tourist lines toward Jog Falls.

Development and infrastructure projects

Upgrades on the corridor have included lane widening, bypass constructions, and pavement strengthening under contracts awarded to corporations like National Highways Authority of India and private engineering firms with experience on projects for Larsen & Toubro and GMR Group affiliates. Notable projects included the construction of bypasses around Mysuru and Hassan to decongest historic cores, slope stabilization works in the ghats near Sakleshpur to mitigate landslide risks studied by researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras and IISc Bangalore, and modernization of bridges over the Netravati and Hemavati rivers. Environmental clearances involved consultations with agencies such as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and state forest departments due to proximity to reserves like Nagarhole National Park and Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

Traffic and usage

Traffic volumes vary from heavy commercial flows near Mangalore Port and industrial estates to seasonal tourist surges toward Coorg and pilgrimage peaks for sites related to Chamundi Hills and nearby temples. Freight movements include container traffic linked to Mangalore Port Trust and agricultural transports for commodities produced in Kodagu coffee plantations and Karnataka horticulture zones. Peak congestion occurs at junctions interfacing with urban networks of Mangalore and Mysuru, while ghats stretches experience slower, grade-limited heavy vehicle movement—conditions monitored by agencies including the Regional Transport Office and traffic engineering units of the Karnataka Public Works Department.

Economic and social impact

The highway underpins trade between the Karavali coast and interior markets, enabling supply chains for exports through Mangalore Port and supporting tourism economies in Coorg and Mysuru. It serves educational catchments for institutions like University of Mysore and medical centers in Mangalore and Hassan, improving access for students and patients. Local economies around towns such as Sakleshpur and Madikeri saw growth in hospitality, retail, and agro-processing, while improved connectivity influenced demographic patterns linked to migration toward industrial corridors near Bengaluru. Infrastructure projects generated employment during construction through contractors and labor sourced from districts including Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu.

Future plans and proposals

Planned interventions include further widening to four lanes on priority stretches, construction of additional bypasses for historic town centers, and intelligent transport system deployments coordinated with schemes under Bharatmala and state transport policy instruments. Proposals under discussion involve freight terminals to link with Mangalore Port Trust expansion, multimodal integration with the Mangalore–Bengaluru railway modernization, and ecological mitigation measures developed with Wildlife Institute of India and state biodiversity boards to balance transport needs with conservation imperatives. Longer-term visions include corridor upgrades to facilitate rapid logistics between Bengaluru and western seaports, aligning with national export-oriented infrastructure strategies.

Category:National Highways in Karnataka Category:Roads in Dakshina Kannada district Category:Roads in Kodagu district