Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 11: Close on the heels of takingup national highway widening work between Kundapur and Suratkal, the highways department has proposed a widening project of the national highway between Majali village on Karnataka’s border with Goa, and Kundapur. The project is estimated to cost Rs 1,965 crore. The National Highways Authority of India has sent a proposal to the planning commission in this connection, with a feasibility report. 190 kms of the highway now proposed to be widened is located in Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts.

Out of the 190 kms stated above, 100 kms of road is level, 46 kms is located in slanting terrain, while the balance 44 kms is in Ghat section. The proposal has been designed for the vehicles to move at a speed of 100 kms per hour in level and slanting roads, with the speed limit fixed at 60 kms per hour for the Ghat section.

The towns located between Majali and Kundapur are Karwar, Sea Bird naval base, Hiregutti,  Kumta, Haldipur, Honnavar, Manki, Shirali, Bhatkal, Shirur, Byndoor, Maravante, and Tallur. On the road, 12 major bridges and 41 minor bridges will have to be widened.  Two over bridges, four under bridges, and a fly over in Karwar, will be the special features of the project. There will be three toll plazas, three resting areas, four truck bays, 16 bus stands etc. The authority proposes to build service road in 70 kms stretch of this road. The land acquisition here will be for a width of 60 metres.

In Karwar, two separate underground three-lane roads will be built, the gap between the two roads being 20 metres. National Highways Authority of India project director, P N Gavasane, said that he expects the planning commission to give permission for the project in the next three months. The project may be taken up after the completion of the tender process in March 2012, and it is expected to be completed by 2015, he added.