Mangaluru : DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel called on Union minister for transport and national highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari at his official residence in New Delhi on Monday and had detailed discussion about the national highway projects pertaining to Dakshina Kannada district.

The minister directed the officers concerned to take urgent action pertaining to following projects of importance to the district.

The projects discussed include speeding up B C Road-Addahole four-laning and concreting road project. Nalin urged Gadkari to ensure that the contractor – L & T – takes up the periodical maintenance work in the interim. The minister directed the officials to ensure that the remaining work on the Talapady-Kundapura four-laning and Thokkottu-Pumpwell flyover by the concessionaire is completed within February and opened for public use.

The MP also stressed on the need for the ministry to insist that the state government initiates at the earliest process for land acquisition for Kulashekar-Karkala four-lane project as well as for the B C Road-Kateel-Mulki-Melkaru-Konaje-Thokkottu project. The MP also demanded that the foundation stone for this last mentioned project be laid at the earliest and a time limit fixed for the completion of tender process and initiation of the work.

Nalin also demanded that Gadkari take steps for early inauguration of Talapady-Kundapura Road. Union minister for statistics and programme implementation D V Sadananda Gowda, Alok Deepankar, chief general manager, NHAI and other officials were present.