Rs 616 Cr for Kundapur-Suratkal Road Widening - Union Minister
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MSP)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, Jun 3: Shiradi ghat stretch of the national highway 48 between Mangalore and Bangalore, is ready for public use. The contractors have done quality work in the ghat section, said K H Muniappa, Union Minister for road transport and shipping.
Speaking to media persons on Monday, June 2, he said that, a total of 13 curves at Shiradi ghat have been concreted this time. Drainage work is pending in this ghat. But the drainage works will not affect the traffic movement in the ghat, he clarified.
Movement of heavily loaded iron ore laden trucks was responsible for the pathetic condition of the Shiradi ghat section of the national highway. Because of the public demand and traffic pressure, works were completed on this section at a breakneck speed and opened for traffic from today. The present concrete work will withstand traffic pressure at least for the next five years. It is the responsibility of the state government to regulate movement of iron ore trucks to ensure that the roads do not suffer undue damage, he stated. He said, he has personally inspected the ghat road.
Survey is being conducted on the feasibility of widening the Shiradi ghat stretch of the national highway into four lane one. Work will be started immediately after the completion of survey and if the report is found to be in favour of widening the road, Muniyappa said. This will result in a four lane communiation highway between Mangalore and Chennai ports, he added.
The ongoing four lane work between B C Road and Suratkal will be completed within March 2009. The work has been delayed owing to obvious reasons. The work will be hastened immediately after the rainy season comes to a close, he assured. The Gundya-BC Road section of the highway too will get a thorough facelift, with the works having been entrusted at a cost of Rs 25 crores, the minister informed.
Agreeing that the Charmadi ghat state highway is in a deplorable state, he assigned the diversion of Shiradi ghat traffic during it's repairs, as responsible for this situation. The Charmadi ghat road is suitable only for one way traffic, he opined and promised to discuss the issue with the officials concerned and initiate remedial measures.
As far as the recent assembly election results in the state is concerned, Muniyappa said, that victory and defeat are two sides of the same coin and that he bows before the verdict of the people. Refusing to point fingers at any one for the poor performance of the Congress, he added that people concerned, at the same time, cannot shirk from the responsibility of owning responsiblity for the defeat.
Rs 616 crores by way of grants has been released for the Kundapur-Suratkal road widening and the same is undergoing tender process. Tender has also been called for the Mangalore-Talapady stretch of the national highway no.17, the minister stated.
The union government has no intention of meting out step-motherly treatment to the state government headed by Yeddyurappa, Muniyappa said, terming allegations on this count as baseless.
Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao informed that there is no movement of heavily loaded iron ore lorries in the district. Therefore, one need not worry about the damage they might cause to the roads, he assured.
Earlier, the minister visited Dharmastala and Subramanya.
NHAI project director Prashant Gavasane, Congress leader Moiddin Bava and other officials were present at press meet.