Ujire : Deputy Chief Minister and in-charge of Public Works Department Govind M. Karjol promised on Sunday that the government will take steps to widen the road from Periyashanthi on National Highway 75 to Dharmasthala.

Speaking to the Pattadhikari of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala D. Veerendra Heggade after inaugurating a 2 km long newly laid four-lane road from Snana Ghatta to Dharmasthala at the temple town, the Minister said that the government will take steps for sanctioning alternative land to the Forest Department for planting saplings before getting the land of the Forest Department between Periyashanthi and Dharmasthala for widening the road.

Earlier, Mr. Heggade told the Minister that in some places on the stretch of the road the Forest Department owns land. It is coming in the way of widening the road.

The Public Works Department has constructed the 2 km long road at a cost of ₹15 crore. The road has 7.50 m wide carriage way on both sides (totally 15 m in width) with a 2.50 m wide median.

The Minister said that survey has been completed as part of work to widen the road from Punjalkatte to Charmadi on B . Road-Chikkamagaluru National Highway. He will apprise the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways soon of the need to widen this stretch when he meets him in Delhi. Elected representatives are also bringing pressure to bear on him to widen this stretch of the highway.

Speaking to media persons on the occasion, he said that heavy rain and floods in the last two years damaged public property, buildings and crops to the tune of ₹60,000 crore. The damage last year alone stood at ₹35,000 crore. It included damages to roads and buildings of the Public Works Department to the tune of ₹7,000 crore.

The State has requested the Union government for ₹1,500 crore compensation. Of this demand, the government has so far released ₹600 crore, he said.

Later, Mr. Karjol laid the foundation stone for building a new circuit house at Belthangady at an estimated cost of ₹49.5 crore.

Member of Legislative Council K. Prathap Simha Nayak and Member of Legislative Assembly Harish Poonja were present.