Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes said here on Sunday that building the proposed tunnel road on the Shiradi Ghat stretch of the Mangalore-Bangalore National Highway will not result in any environmental hazard.
Speaking to presspersons, the Minister said: “Building a tunnel road will be a solution to environmental problems. The question of environment, forests and wildlife will arise if there is an open road.”
The Minister said that if there was a tunnel road neither forests nor the wildlife would be affected. Mr. Fernandes reiterated that when the tunnel road was laid, the 26.5-km stretch of the highway on the ghat section would be reduced to a 18 km. A Japanese agency has come forward to fund the project and provide technical assistance.
