Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 28: Minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, has asked the officials to make the Shiradi Ghat road motorable within a week. He also wanted the Pumpwell flyover here to be completed within four months.

This was informed by Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament, Nalin Kumar Kateel.

On Monday, a meeting in the office of minister Gadkari at Transport Bhavan New Delhi was held with the participation of senior officials of National Highways Authority of India, Kateel, and four legislators from Karnataka took part in the meeting. At the high level meeting, Gadkari asked the officials to address highway-related problems in undivided Dakshina Kannada district on priority.

The MP and legislators urged the minister to address Shiradi Ghat problem on a war footing as Mangaluru in turning into an island as all approach roads have extensively been damaged. Gadkari left strict instructions to officials to address Shiradi Ghat issues within a week, Kateel told the media persons after the meeting.

Kateel was accompanied by Sullia MLA, Angara, Beltangady MLA, Harish Punja, Puttur MLA, Sanjeev Matandoor, and city (north) legislator Bharat Shetty.

Kateel also said that the problem of delay in completing highway 66 four-lane work from Kundapur to Talapady, and slow execution of Pumpwell flyover work were brought to the notice of the minister. He said that the officials and Navayuga Company executing the road works have been given strict instructions to complete flyover work within four months.

When he raised the topic of problems relating to widening of highway for four km on national highway between B C Road and Hassan, Gadkari asked officials of his department to hold meeting with Karnataka chief minister, forest minister, and officials of forest department. He also promised to discuss with officials the request to close tollgates at B C Road and Mukka, Kateel said.