Mangalore : With the National Highways under the State Public Works Department deciding to take up the upgrading work of 26 km stretch of Shiradi Ghat, a six-months ban on movement of all vehicles will be imposed on the ghat road from December 1 to May 30, 2015.

In order to make way for smooth flow of traffic between the coastal districts and Bangalore, the district administration has proposed five alternative routes.

However, the final decision on alternative routes will be taken only after conducting feasible study.

Chairing a meeting of various departments concerned to discuss about upgrading Shiradi Ghat on Friday, Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim suggested to ply luxury government and private buses on Charmadi route and to ply ordinary buses on Mani-Sampaje-Madikeri road.

Mani-Madikeri road would have been a better alternative for vehicular movement, if not for the 10 km stretch between Mani-Sampaje which is yet to be asphalted.

The deputy commissioner insisted on plying heavy vehicles like bullet tankers and multi-axle trucks on Surathkal-Udupi-Siddhapur-Hulikal Ghat-Shimoga route and suggested Agumbe Ghat-Umblebail-Tarikere route and Mangalore-Karkala-Kerekatti Ghat–Kalasa Chikmagalur route for the movement of light vehicles.

The teams comprising of National Highways, PWD, KRDCL, KSRTC and Mescom officials have been formed for studying the feasibility and carrying capacity of the alternative routes and submit a report before August 15.

The final decision will be taken based on the report. Shoulder strengthening of alternative routes should be taken up after consulting the authorities of respective districts, the DC said.
Work in two packages

The 26 kilo metre stretch from Gundia to Maranahalli in Hassan district will be concretised under two packages.

Under the first package, contract of Rs 65 crore has been awarded to Mangalore based Ocean Constructions which will develop 13 km stretch from Heggadde in Hassan to Kempu Hole forest guest house in Dakshina Kannada.

The work order has been issued to the contractor. Tender has been called for taking up concretising another 13 km stretch from Kempu Hole to Gundia at a cost of Rs 85.28 crore.

The tender for second package will be finalised by October end and the work on both sides will be taken up simultaneously, said National Highways Engineering Department Executive Engineer C Nataraj.

The concrete road will be of 8.5 metre width and one ft thick. Professor from IIT (Kharagpur) P P Pande and Chief Engineer from Haryana, R K Jain are the technical advisors to the project.

As per the plan, 150 metres of road will be laid everyday in order to complete one km road in a week’s time.

On the National Highway Authorities of India’s proposal of four-laning B C Road-Hassan road, NHAI Technical Manager Shirish Gangadar said that the department has taken up the process of obtaining forest, environment and land acquisition clearance for the project.

The work would be started after 1.5 years and it will require three years for completion. DH News