Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jan 11: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is set to modernise key highways along Karnataka’s coastal region, where decades-old roads are now under severe traffic pressure.
Feasibility studies are underway for upgrading the Kundapur-Talapady, Surathkal-B C Road, and Nanthur-Talapady sections. The tendering process for these feasibility reports is in progress.
The proposed Kundapur-Talapady section is estimated at Rs 700 crore, while the Surathkal-B C Road upgrade could cost around Rs 400 crore, officials said.
The B C Road-Surathkal four-lane highway was constructed 20 years ago. Initially appearing wide enough, the road now feels congested due to increased traffic, compounded by the absence of service roads. The authority plans to expand this highway to six lanes and construct dedicated service roads to improve safety and traffic flow.
The Kundapur-Surathkal section, initially planned as a four-lane road in 2010 and expected to be completed by 2013, remained unfinished until 2022. The highway is still not fully operational, prompting NHAI to initiate its further upgrade.
Currently, the highway authority has only preliminary information, with detailed technical designs to be provided in the feasibility reports by the consultancy firm Dhruva Consultancy, which has been finalised for the DPR. Dhruva will prepare the DPR for the Kundapur-Talapady section and may also handle the Suratkal-BC Road section.
Plans for new flyovers at Brahmavar, Kota, Padubidri, and Kallapu are also under consideration for the Talapady-Kundapur stretch. Service roads will be constructed along the highway; presently, 25 km of service road exists, 13 km is under construction, and 52 km is yet to be built.
Officials note that the absence of service roads forces two-wheelers onto the main carriageway, increasing the risk of accidents. Ensuring two-wheelers use the service road is a current priority.
Authorities added that there are no land acquisition issues along the Kundapura-Talapady stretch, and sufficient land is already available, allowing for smooth progress of the project.
The B C Road-Surathkal section currently has a carriageway width of 23–24 metres. With rising traffic, the DPR aims to widen it to 45 metres and expand it to six lanes. The study will also focus on redesigning or upgrading flyovers constructed 20 years ago at Surathkal, Kulur, Kottara Chowki, and Kuntikan.
Officials confirmed that the DPR will explore the possibility of an elevated highway from Kulur to Nanthur, including tunnel provisions for highway vehicles while diverting city traffic above ground.
“The highway authority has decided to prepare DPRs for upgrading the BC Road-Surathkal and Kundapura-Talapady sections. Ensuring smooth traffic from Kulur to Nanthur is a priority, as is the construction of the Surathkal-B C Road bypass. Other improvements will be implemented in a phased manner,” an official said.