NHAI Grants In-Principle Approval for ₹5.83 Crore Service Road and Foot Over Bridge Projects: MP Brijesh Chowta

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Mangaluru : The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has accorded in-principle approval for the construction of a service road at Bannadka and additional infrastructure development works worth ₹5.83 crore along the Sanur-Bikarnakatte four-lane stretch of National Highway 169, according to Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta.

Responding to persistent representations from local residents and various organizations, NHAI approved the previously omitted service road at Bannadka as well as a new Foot Over Bridge (FOB) near Vamanjoor Junction to ensure smooth pedestrian movement.

The approved package, with a total estimated outlay of ₹5,83,86,051, includes the construction of a missing 700-meter service road, drainage systems, and the widening of box culverts in the Bannadka region at a cost of ₹4.12 crore. Additionally, a modern Foot Over Bridge costing ₹1.7 crore will be constructed near Vamanjoor to facilitate safe road crossing for students, parishioners of Vamanjoor Church, and local residents. The NHAI Regional Office in Bengaluru has officially dispatched a letter to Dilip Buildcon, the concessionaire executing the four-lane highway project, instructing them to proceed with the preliminary documentation.

The concessionaire has been directed to submit detailed cost estimates and engineering design blueprints to facilitate the final Change of Scope (COS) order and initiate physical construction immediately. Capt. Chowta highlighted that work on the ground will gain momentum as soon as technical evaluation of the design plans is complete, delivering a long-awaited solution to traffic congestion and safety concerns in these heavily commuted stretches.

Addressing safety hazards caused by the absence of a service road at Bannadka, Capt. Brijesh Chowta had recently conducted a site inspection alongside Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian. Following the visit, the MP petitioned Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari regarding the urgency of the project. Subsequent to his intervention, NHAI requested a detailed estimate from the project management consultancy, culminating in the official in-principle sanction.