Mani-Mysuru road to be asphalted shortly

Public Works Minister H D Revanna said that asphaltation of the stretch on the Mani-Mysuru road will be taken up shortly.

Speaking after inaugurating the newly concreted Shiradi Ghat stretch from Addahole to Kempuhole on Sunday, he said the work on four-laning of the stretch from Madikeri to Mysuru will be taken up. Land acquisition for the four-laning of the work has been completed and the stretch has been handed over to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). About 63% of land acquisition from Madikeri to Mani has been completed. Once the land acquisition process is complete, then the stretch will be handed over to the NHAI, he explained

Priority works

Revanna said that the coastal and Malnad districts have received heavy rain in the last one month. The PWD roads in all 32 taluks coming under these districts have been damaged. The MLAs have been asked to ensure the work in these districts is taken up at the earliest.

He said if the forest officials failed to deal with clearance for road works within a stipulated time, then strict action would be initiated against such officials. The PWD and NHAI officials have been asked to submit revised applications seeking clearance from the forest officials. The officials have been directed to issue the NoC at the earliest.

Reduction in fee

The minister said it has been decided that when the state government entities like KUWSDB, BWSSB, ESCOMS etc shift utilities during NHAI/ NH road widening work, they will be charged only 2.5% supervision charge instead of the earlier rate of 12.5%. Supervision charge is over and above the actual shifting cost which anyway NHAI will bear. This has been done at the request of the Government of India and has been implemented by several other states as well.

Revanna also appealed to the motorists to drive the vehicles with utmost care on the newly concreted stretch.

Further, he said Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had sanctioned four-laning of the 1,959-km national highway worth Rs 27,000 crore last year. This year, the Ministry has sanctioned the 1,339-km four-laning of national highways worth Rs 9,445 crore in Karnataka.

He urged MP Nalin Kumar Kateel to impress upon the railway minister to start inter-city trains between Mangaluru and Chennai, Bengaluru-Goa-Mangaluru, Hassan-Tirupathi, which could be extended to Mangaluru.

The minister said that a railway line between Belur and Hassan will be taken up this year.

Safety

Minister for Urban Development and Housing U T Khader said that a sum of Rs 1 crore should be earmarked for providing safety measures on the newly laid Shiradi Ghat stretch.

He urged the public works minister to accelerate the work on four-laning of the road from Melkar to Thokkottu and B C Road to Addahole.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel urged the public works minister to announce a special package to Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Malnad districts, to repair PWD roads damaged following heavy rain.

‘Vaastu’ for inauguration

The arrangement was made to inaugurate the newly concreted Shiradi Ghat stretch at Kempuhole bridge. Public Welfare Minister Revanna, who arrived on the spot, changed the direction as per ‘Vaastu’ to cut the ribbon to mark the inauguration.

The arrangement was made to cut the ribbon facing west. The minister stood on the east side to cut the ribbon.