MANGALORE: The Union Ministry for Transport and Highways has decided to transfer the 130 km stretch of the National Highway 48 between BC road and Hassan, to the National Highway Authority of India with a view to develop the road.
This latest move of the government is expected to pave way for the improvement of the Shiradi Ghat stretch of road thereby enabling smooth movement of traffic on the Mangalore-Hassan stretch. The ministry has also decided to transfer the maintenance of nine roads on other National Highways of the state, with a view to develop them. These highways even include the 18 km stretch of Mangalore- Shimoga on NH 13.
As of now all these roads are being maintained by the PWD under the state division of the National Highway and the latest move is consequent upon the several complaints that the highways were not being effectively maintained.
Works on the roads that have been transferred to the NHAI will commence formally shortly.
According to reports, the Shimoga –Mangalore NH 13 works would be taken up first as it comes under 4A stage of the National Highway Development Project. The projects under 4B are not yet sanctioned by the government.
The other roads that have been transferred to the NHAI are Chitradurga-Hosapete, Hosapete-Bellary. Bellary-Gooti, Hosapete-Hubli-Ankola, Gundlupete-Coimbatore, Hosapete and Dabaspete, Tamil Nadu border-Bangalore and Gulbarga-Bijapur-Humnabad.
Mangalore to benefit : The development of these roads is expected to benefit Mangalore much as the NH 48, NH 17 and NH 13 link Mangalore and their development would provide the much needed impetus for growth in the region.
Presently, the Suratkal-BC Road stretch of road which comes on NH 17 and NH 13 is being four-laned and the four-laning of the Suratkal-Kundapur (NH 17) and Nantur-Talapady (NH 17) too are to be taken up and land acquisition process is underway.
If all the projects are completed on schedule, then they are sure to help Mangalore to a great extent. But the big question is-will the works be taken up as per schedule and completed on schedule ?
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