The Hindu

Mangalore, Aug 1: Chairman of the National Administrative Reforms Commission, M Veerappa Moily has recommended conversion of the entire stretch of Shirdi Ghat from bitumen pavement to concrete pavement.

In a letter to the Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, T R Baalu, Moily has stated that the highway stretch in the Shiradi Ghat area was in a poor condition.

Quoting a report by Prof B R Srinivasa Murthy of the Indian Institute of Science, the former Chief Minister stated that the inspection and analysis of the situation had indicated that there was no point in continuing with bitumen pavement on these roads and that concrete pavement was the only permanent solution.

Moily informed the minister that the project would cost Rs 100 crore.

He said because of this bad stretch every year the traffic on National highway-48 was thrown out of gear and the roads remained bad owing to 1500 mm of rainfall every year.

This was compounded by the fact that there was heavy movement of commercial vehicles throughout the year.

Moily also stated that the stretch between Shirady and Sakleshpur should be converted into a four-lane highway and urged the Minister to take immediate steps.