Mangaluru: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has finalised the feasibility study and tentative alignment for the proposed 77-km four-lane Mangaluru City bypass between Mulki and Thokkottu via Kinnigoli, Kateel, Bajpe, Kaikamba, B.C. Road, Melkar and Mudipu.

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel told reporters during a presentation on the project that the consultants, Stup Consultants Pvt. Ltd., are likely to submit a detailed project report to NHAI by September this year. Estimated to cost about ₹ 2,800 crore under engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode, the project is likely to be completed by 2021, he said.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari sanctioned the project last year to de-congest roads around the city.

Making a presentation on the project, Rajeev from Stup said that the consultant favoured to follow the existing road alignment in consultation with NHAI and people’s representatives, except for certain stretches. The feasibility study proposes a four-lane carriageway of 45 metres uniform width with total right of way (RoW) of 60 metres or 70 metres, to be decided by NHAI. Borders of the RoW would either be fenced or stone-marked to prevent encroachment.

The bypass would start near Padu Panambur, about 1.5 km from Mulki, with a trumpet interchange and join the existing Mulki-Moodbidri highway near Kinnigoli. Stup has favoured a 1.25-km flyover through Kinnigoli town to avoid land acquisition there. It would bypass the Kateel temple stretch while providing easy access to Mangaluru International Airport at Bajpe.

The bypass would join B.C. Road in between Bantwal-Belthangady highway and the Netravathi and would have a trumpet interchange for seamless movement of traffic. Through-traffic towards Kerala would move on the existing NH 75 till Melkar and turn right towards Mudipu before joining NH 66 at Thokkottu, Mr. Rajeev said. The entire stretch from Mudipu to Thokkottu would have service roads on both sides as the area is almost developed.

NHAI’s Manager (Technical) Ajith Kumar said that the authority has now made it mandatory to have uniform right of way of 70 metres keeping in mind the future needs of further widening highways to six lanes. Buffer land would be in the middle followed by the main carriageways and service roads on the border to prevent encroachment, he said.

MLAs U. Rajesh Naik (Bantwal) and Umanath A. Kotian (Moodbidri) were present.