Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jul 3: Because of heavy rainfall, second phase road development work of Shiradi ghat stretch of national highway 75 was delayed by about two weeks. As such, concrete mix has just been laid for the last leg of this road planned to be improved. As it takes 15 days’ time for curing the concrete, in all probability, this road will reopen for traffic from July 15 or thereabout.
The work of laying concrete road for a distance of 12.38 km between Addahole and Kempuhole for a width of 8.5 metres was completed a few days back, but work on road stretches on either side of the three bridges on the ghat section was pending. Concreting this stretch of the road was completed on Saturday night.
About 80 percent of construction of protective wall is still pending here. This work might take a couple of months as such walls have to be built at steep roads and narrow, steep edges of rivulets in some stretches.
The work of developing this 13 km road was executed with the help of a modern machinery imported from Germany. 77 culverts were improved and expansion of three bridges has been undertaken. The first phase of road between Heggadde and Kempuhole had been executed by Ocean Construction in record time. As the contractor to whom second phase road work was given did not execute the work, this stretch also had been given to Ocean Construction, which has been appreciated for maintaining good quality in the first phase road work. The second phase has also been completed in a record time of 5.5 months although the firm was given time till April 2019 to complete the work as per terms of contract.
Director of the company, Sharfuddin, said that vehicles can move on the road once road work is completed. At the same time, protective wall work will continue.
National Highways Authority of India superintending engineer Raghavan said that curing of this road will take about 15 days’ time, and that PWD and district administration will take a call on allowing vehicles to move on the road.