Travel between Hyderabad and Bengaluru is set to become faster, with road journey time expected to drop to around five hours, following the Centre’s approval to upgrade National Highway 44 (NH-44), which links the two cities.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned the modernisation of NH-44, which passes through Kurnool, Nandyal, and Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh. The highway will be expanded into a six-lane, access-controlled expressway to improve traffic flow and reduce stoppages..Originally, a new greenfield high-speed corridor was considered, but due to higher costs and land acquisition challenges, it was deemed more practical to widen the existing route.

The upgraded 576 km stretch, spanning Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, will feature service roads for local traffic, limited access points, and separation of local and long-distance vehicles. Also, the Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway is close to completion, and once operational, certain areas of Chittoor district will be just 90 minutes away from both cities, with some sections enabling travel to Bengaluru in less than an hour. Built for speeds of up to 120 km/h, the expressway is expected to boost trade, tourism, and regional connectivity throughout South India.