New Mangalore road project to be ready by March 2009

Mangalore: Work on the New Mangalore Port Road Connectivity Project which involves conversion of 37.5 km of highway between Surathkal and B.C. Road Town into four lane roads will be completed by March 2009, according to Mr K.H. Muniyappa, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways.

The project involves the conversion of stretches of three national highways (nos. 17, 48 and 13) into four-lane roads.

The Minister said that the total length of the work in NH no 17 is 17.3 km. Of this, four-lane work has been completed on a 11-km stretch.

Three flyovers at Surathkal, Kottara Chowki and Kuntikan are in advanced stages.

Of the 17-km stretch of NH no. 48, work on 9.5 km will be completed by December. The contractor has been directed to complete the remaining work by March 2009, he said.

The total project cost of New Mangalore Port road connectivity is estimated at Rs 196.5 crore.

Mr Muniyappa said that repair work on the 37-km stretch of NH no. 48 at Shirady Ghat section, between Hassan and Mangalore, is almost complete. The stretch has been opened for movement of vehicles. Some minor works, which are pending on this stretch, will be completed in a month.

The repair work involved concreting of 13 curves in the Shirady Ghat section.

On the movement of overloaded iron ore trucks on this stretch, he said the State should take steps to control the movement of such trucks.

Plans are there to widen the national highway from Talpady in Dakshina Kananda to the Goa border in Uttara Kannada district. Work on surveying this stretch has begun, he added.