An underpass proposed at Nanthoor Junction here will soon become a reality with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) sending a final land acquisition proposal to the Union government for its approval.
Shriram Mishra, Project Director, NHAI, Mangaluru, told The Hindu that the NHAI has sought approval for acquiring 0.5 hectares of land for building the underpass at an estimated cost of about Rs. 58 crore. “The 3-D (final land acquisition) proposal has been sent to Delhi,” he said and added that the NHAI had in its possession other land required for building the underpass.
Once the Ministry approved the proposal, a final design of the project would be prepared and bids would be invited for construction.
As per the proposal, vehicular traffic from Moodbidri to Kadri and vice-versa would ply at the ground level and traffic from Udupi to Kasaragod and vice-versa on NH 66 would pass under.
Mr. Mishra said that it had been proposed to have service roads on both the sides of the existing four-lane highway between KPT Junction and Nanthoor Junction. There would be two-lane service roads.
He said that constructing an additional road underbridge parallel to the existing one on NH 75 at Padil (between BC Road and Padil) has begun.
It is expected to be completed by the end of June next. Box pushing technology would be used for constructing it.
Mr. Mishra said that the parallel road overbridge at BC Road on NH 75 was expected to be completed by next month-end. It had been planned to allow traffic on the road overbridge under construction at Baikampady in February or March, he said. Mr. Mishra said that the road overbridge at Baikampady had provision for laying a road for vehicles connecting the New Mangalore Port yard with the Baikampady Industrial Area.
Now, vehicles from the yard to the industrial area and vice-versa passed criss-cross with the traffic on the highway. Once the road parallel to the railway track was completed below the bridge, this would be avoided. This would also end traffic jam at Baikampady Junction.
A new project director took charge of Mangalore office on Tuesday as Mr. Mishra has been transferred to Nagpur.
