Mangaluru : The hurdles for proposed four-laning of Mangaluru-Karkala road (NH 13) seems to be almost cleared with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) making changes in the plan.

Speaking to media after the meeting held at the deputy commissioner’s office on Tuesday here, S P Somashekar, project director, NHAI, Shivamogga, said, “Major realignment has been made at six junctions in keeping with the demands made in previous meetings. The realignment has been included at Sanur, Moorthangady, Thodar, Mijar, Edapadavu and Kudupu.”

Explaining about the plan, Somashekar said, to ensure smooth movement of vehicles, 10 vehicular underpasses will be built, followed by eight light vehicular underpasses (LUVP), one vehicular overpass, two bypass roads at Moodbidri and Gurupura and flyover at Moodbidri and Kaikamba.

Asserting that the project is conceived in keeping with the future vehicular movement up to 30 years, Somashekar said, the existing passenger car units (PCU) per day on the stretch is calculated between 13,000 and14,000. The road will be widened up to 45 metres.

Following the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha is expected to give his in-principle approval to facilitate the further process like issuing initial notification, inviting objections if any as part of the procedure and another round of survey, said Somashekar.

Once the procedures are completed, a detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared in another two months, he added.

The proposal dates back to 2009, when it was planned to develop the Mangaluru-Shivamogga road (NH 13) into a two lane with paved shoulders. However, following the refusal to part with required land at Kudremukh National Park in Shivamogga for the work, it was modified and altered to develop a four-lane road between Karkala and Mangaluru with an estimated cost of over Rs 1,000 crore (except the amount required for compensation for acquisition of land). A sum of not less than Rs 20 crore will be spent per km of widening the road, Somashekar said.

The 45-km stretch between Mangaluru and Karkala is one of the busiest stretches, with not less than 90 minutes (one-and-a-half hour) required to travel the distance. Once the stretch is converted into four lane, it is expected to cut down the journey time to 45 minutes.

Earlier, during the meeting, the officer with the help of slides clarified that major changes have been incorporated, after six months of hectic field study. Most of the structures that were facing threat with the proposed road work cutting through them have been almost omitted with due priority given to green field areas.

District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai, who presided over the meeting, complimented the NHAI officials for realigning some of the junctions. Initially, the minister, who sounded sceptical over the style of functioning of NHAI, wanted them to give due preference to public opinion before drawing any plan.

Mayor Kavita Sanil, MLA J R Lobo, Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha and Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumar were present.