From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi

Belagavi, Jul 10: Here’s some good news for the people of coastal Karnataka, especially those from the coastal city of Mangaluru and the temple town of Udupi as well as people of the undivided Dakshina Kannada district, who frequently travel to Karnataka’s capital of Bengaluru and back as well as those going to the State’s cultural capital of Mysuru.

The Bengaluru-Mysuru-Bantwal national highway is set to be upgraded from two lanes to six lanes to ensure smooth movement of traffic.

Even the Siddaramaiah regime will be happy to know that the Narendra Modi government will be sanctioning Rs 1100 crore to cover the land acquisition costs.

This information was given by Karnataka’s Public Works Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa in his reply to the demands for grants pertaining to his department in the State Legislative Assembly in Belagavi’s Suvarna Soudha on Friday.

In his reply to four-hour-long debate on PWD’s demands, he said the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways has agreed to grant Rs 1100 crore for acquisition of lands for developing the national highway from two lanes to six lanes from Bengaluru to Bantwal via Mysuru.

Dr Mahadevappa said many humps on Bengaluru-Mysuru road have already been removed to ensure speedy movement of vehicles between two cities.

An action plan has been prepared to develop 3670 km roads in the State into four lanes and already 361 km had been upgraded, he said.

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 5,000 crore for development of national highways in the State during the last two years.

13 kms of Shiradi Ghat works completion by July end

Yet another major link road from Bengaluru to Mangaluru, the movement of traffic which had been hampered due to the long delay in the completion of the Shiradi Ghat stretch of concrete work is also progressing fast and work on 13 kms stretch of the Shiradi Ghat (concrete road) would be completed by this month end, he said.

The minister said the 13 kms stretch of concreting work on Shiradi Ghat would be opened to movement of vehicles either this month end or early next month.

Concrete laying works for another 13 kms and asphalting of 21 kms would be taken up after the end of the monsoon rains.

The Charmadi Ghat would be widened after completion of the Shiradi Ghat work, he said.

Inspection Bungalows to be improved

Basic facilities would be provided at Inspection Bungalows in districts before end of this financial year.

He appealed to legislators to use IBs for official purposes.

Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa asked the Minister to prepare estimates correctly while taking up road works to ensure their quality.

Members cutting across party-lines demanded construction of by-pass roads along the national and state highways to ensure smooth movement of traffic.

The legislators demanded stern action against “fake” contractors as they were not only looting the exchequer but also causing hardships to the public.

Dr Mahadevappa said there were 25,000 contractors in the State. The PWD had introduced online renewal of licenses for contractors.