The Hindu

MANGALORE, May 30: Shiradi Ghat section on the Mangalore-Bangalore national highway will not be opened for heavy traffic on June 1 as stated earlier by officials concerned.

This is because the contractor, who is concreting of critical curves there, has not yet completed the work. The approach roads to the concreted critical curves are yet to be asphalted.

The officials said that they would make all efforts to open the ghat section for heavy traffic by June 3 or June 4.

Apprehension

S. Gopal, executive engineer, Mangalore division of the National Highways, told The Hindu on Thursday that concreting of one side of two critical curves was yet to be completed. “The two curves measuring 40 metre each need to be concreted now. It will take three days to complete this work. Another fortnight will be required for curing it,” he said. However, if it rained, there might be delay in completing the work, he added. The approach to 13 critical curves at different places measure up to 1.3 km.

Plan

Mr. Gopal said that the department would strive to open the ghat section for heavy traffic by June 3 or June 4. Even then, the vehicles could be allowed to ply on one side of the two curves till the mandatory curing period was over.

He said asphalting of the highway stretch between Aaanemahal near Sakaleshpur and the Addole bridge in Dakshina Kannada had been completed. The repair work had been taken up on a 38-km stretch. Rains had hampered the progress of repair work in the ghat section, he added.

Mr. Gopal said that buses and light motor vehicles, except bullet tankers, had started plying in the ghat section.

An official of the Mangalore division of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said that Bangalore-bound buses, including Volvo, Rajahamsa and express buses of the corporation, were plying via Shiradi Ghat.

A. Sunil, who travelled in the ghat section on Thursday, said that the stretch experienced heavy rain on Thursday. Sudhir Krishna, Principal Secretary, Department of Public Works, Ports and Inland Water Transport, while addressing presspersons at Shiradi Ghat recently, had said that the ghat section would be opened for heavy traffic from June 1.

The ghat section has been closed for heavy traffic since October last. The cost of repair work being carried has been estimated at Rs. 33 crore.