Mangaluru: The National Highway division of the PWD has issued a circular banning the movement of all vehicles on Mangaluru – Bengaluru NH 75 Shiradi Ghat stretch from 6 am on January 20.

The work on the Shiradi Ghat stretch will be taken up from Kempuhole guest house to Addahole.

Movement of all vehicles on the NH 75 from Maranahalli in Sakleshpur to Gundya in Puttur has been banned to facilitate the second phase of the Shiradi Ghat work. All the vehicles plying on the stretch should take alternative routes till the work is complete.

Light vehicles (ordinary buses, jeeps, vans, light commercial vehicles and two-wheelers) have to use the Hassan – Belur – Mudigere – Charmadi Ghat – Belthangady – Ujire – B C Road – Mangaluru route. Similarly, such vehicles may ply on Hassan – Sakleshpur – Anemahal – Hanbal – Chennapura – Mudigere – Charmadi Ghat – Belthangady – Ujire – B C Road – Mangaluru route; and the Hassan – Mudigere – Kottigehara – Kalasa – Kudremukh – Malaghat – Karkala – Udupi – Mangaluru route.

From Mangaluru, light vehicles can travel on B C Road – Puttur – Madikeri – Hunsur – Mysuru – Mandya – Ramnagar – Bengaluru and from Bengaluru via Shivamogga – Ayanur – Hosanagara – Masthikatte – Balebareghat – Hosangadi – Siddapura – Kundapura route.

On the other hand, all heavy vehicles (KSRTC Rajahamsa, Airavat, private luxury buses, bullet tankers, cargo containers and all long chasis vehicles) have to ply on B C Road – Mani – Puttur – Madikeri – Hunsur – KR Nagar – Holenarasipura – Hassan route; B C Road – Mani – Puttur – Madikeri – Hunsur – Mysuru – Mandya – Ramnagar – Bengaluru route. They can also use Bengaluru – Shivamogga – Ayanooru – Hosanagara – Mastikatte – Balebare Ghat – Shosangady – Siddapura – Kundapura and travel to Bengaluru via Nelamangala – Shivamogga – Sagar – Honnavar – Murudeshwara – Kundapur – Udupi – Mangaluru route.

In fact, the development of the 26-km Shiradi Ghat stretch was approved in 2013. In the first phase, a 13.62-km stretch was concreted at a cost of Rs 69.90 crore. In the second phase, 12.38-km stretch will be concreted. In addition, a 21-km stretch will be asphalted from Gulagalale to Maranahalli on Shiradi Ghat.

The first phase of the work was taken up in 2015 and entrusted to Ocean Construction India Pvt Ltd. The road was closed in January to August 2015.

Although the contract for the second phase of the work was entrusted to GVR Infra Project Pvt Ltd, they failed to take up the work till January 2017. Hence, the National Highway division of PWD suspended the contract and handed over the contract for concreting 12.38 km stretch to Ocean Construction India Pvt Ltd