The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will begin a survey on widening the Mulki-Kinnigoli-Kateel-Bajpe-Polali-B.C. Road and Melkar-Mudipu-Konaje-Thokkottu stretches of the road on October 9, according to Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP.
The NHAI has proposed to widen them under the Bharat Mala Project connecting highway to highway.
The road will be upgraded and widened to 35 metres without a median, he told reporters after a meeting with NHAI officials here on Friday.
The two road stretches will connect national highways 66 (Kasaragod-Goa) and 75 (Mangaluru-Bengaluru). After widening, they will serve as bypass roads. As the Melkar (near B.C. Road)-Mudipu-Konaje-Thokkottu road passes through the “education hub”, having medical, engineering colleges and IT companies, its widening is the need of the hour. It connects NH 75 with NH 66.
In addition, Mr. Kateel said the Public Works Department would upgrade and widen three roads using Union government funds. They are Gundia-Kukke Subrahmanya, Bantwal-Siddakkatte-Moodbidri, and Kalladkka-Vitla- Chervathur. These stretches will also be widened to 35 metres without a median.
All the stretches will be upgraded as tar roads, not concrete. The MP said bids have been invited to widen the Gundia-Kukke Subrahmanya and Kalladkka-Chervathur stretches. He also said the NHAI has been asked to fix potholes on the highways under its jurisdiction by this month-end. It includes the stretch between NIT-K and KPT Junction.
Earlier, the MP took an official of Navyug Udupi Tollway Pvt. Ltd. to task for not completing the flyovers and Pumpwell and Thokkottu. The official cited rain as the reason for slow progress of work and said the flyovers would be ready by May.