Four alternative ghat routes identified to reach Hassan, Bangalore

Public Works Dept. to take up work on Shiradi Ghat

The Dakshina Kannada district administration on Wednesday finalised four alternative ghat routes to the hinterland in view of the decision to close down Shiradi Ghat for vehicular traffic from December 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015.

Chairing a meeting, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim directed the Public Works Department to strengthen the identified alternative routes so that they could take the additional load of vehicles.

PWD Assistant Executive Engineer (Sakleshpur sub-division) Prasanna Kumar told the meeting that 13 km of Shiradi Ghat stretch (from 237 km to 250 km) would be repaired at a cost of Rs. 69.7 crore and 11 km (from 216 km to 237 km) would be reconstructed with hard surface and base strengthening at a cost of Rs. 85.28 crore.

The distance between Mangalore and Hassan via Shiradi Ghat is 168 km, and Bangalore 348 km, while between Udupi and Bangalore via Shiradi Ghat is 410 km. The identified alternative routes would be varyingly longer by 10 km to 59 km.

Identified routes

All vehicles, other than heavy goods and multi-axle vehicles from Mangalore to Hassan and Bangalore, can take the Charmadi Ghat route to reach Mudigere and reach Hassan either via Belur or via Jannapura, Hanabal, Anemahal and Sakleshpur.

These routes would be longer by 10 km and 12 km, respectively.

Heavy goods and multi-axle vehicles have to take the State Highway 88 from Mani and pass through Madikeri to reach either Hassan or Bangalore. Vehicles have to operate via Madikeri, Hunsur, K.R. Nagar and Holenarasipur to reach Hassan (309 km). Those bound for Bangalore can directly proceed to Ilavala and join Mysore-Bangalore State Highway near Srirangapatna (390 km).

Light motor vehicles and commercial vehicles from Udupi have two more options to reach Bangalore. They can take the Agumbe Ghat route and proceed via Thirthahalli and Shimoga (424 km) or the Mala Ghat (after Karkala) and reach Bangalore via Kudremukh, Kalasa, Mudigere and Hassan (420 km).

Heavy goods and multi-axle vehicles could take the Balebare Ghat, that is, the Haladi/Kundapura, Hosangadi, Mastikatte, Hosanagar and Shimoga route to reach Bangalore (469 km).