Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, May 5: The Shiradi Ghat stretch of the national highway 48 between Mangalore and Bangalore has been repaired to facilitate smoother movement of vehicles. The KSRTC has now re-routed its Volvo buses, which had earlier been diverted via Mysore after the wretched Shiradi Ghat road caused these buses extensive damage, through this road again, in view of improved road conditions.

It may be recalled, that the entire stretch of the Ghat section had been repaired in the year 2007-08 by closing the road for vehicular traffic for about eight months, at a cost of Rs 33.19 crore, but within a few weeks the road had turned nightmarish. The people had protested against the condition of the road, a public interest petition was filed in the High Court about the improper execution of the road repair contracts and in the recent past, Subrahmanya Swamiji had organized a road blockade, protesting the pathetic condition of the stretch. The inquiry through the CBI the High Court had ordered, is in progress. The High Court had also ordered re-repairing of the road.

Due to the mounting pressure brought in by the general public, the union government sanctioned a sum of Rs 2.5 crore out of the natural calamity fund, for closing the pot holes and repairing the damaged stretches. The road is now ready, duly repaired.

As per the suggestions of the experts, the National Highway Authority is planning to concrete the 26 kms stretch of the  Shiradi Dhat section of the highway between Heggadde and Gundya  after the rainy season. The union government has promised to release Rs 110 crore for the purpose. The government is expected to hand over the contract this time to big, established and experienced companies unlike in the past.

At present, there is a lull in mining operations and the road users hope, this situation will continue. As the repairs presently undertaken are of purely temporary nature, they might not be able to withstand the rains which batter the Ghat section during the rainy season. If the trucks carrying ore resume their operations in the meantime, the road is sure to turn unmotorable within no time.