More than 2,600 giant trees have been felled to pave the way for widening NH 212 between Moolehole in Bandipur and Uttamballi, near Kollegal. The final tender has been approved for the project.
Sridharmurthy, representing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), told The Hindu that there was no alternative as the portion of the highway between Mysore and Nanjangud would be made four-lane, while the carriage width between other points would also be widened. “The bulk of the tree-felling work has been completed. Most of it was between Maddur and Kollegal,” he said.
As the model code of conduct has been lifted by the Election Commission, the work is expected to gather pace. Preliminary works pertaining to road-widening is nearing completion.
Pipelines shiftedMr. Sridharmurthy said 770 electricity poles had been shifted, while water pipelines to 27 villages receiving water under integrated rural drinking water schemes were shifted. Water pipelines to the Mysore airport were also shifted, he said.
A long-pending project, the cost of widening the 131-km stretch of NH 212 in Karnataka is pegged at Rs. 585.78 crore, including cost escalation and making the 21.5 km Mysore–Nanjangud stretch four-lane. The highway passes through Gundlupet, Nanjangud, Mysore and T. Narsipur and the carriage width will vary from 7 metres to 10 metres. It will be 15 metres on the Mysore–Nanjangud stretch.
In Bandipur
About 18.8 km of the highway passes through the Bandipur National Park where the existing two-lane road will be retained. “Only general maintenance works such as filling potholes will be taken up inside the national park. Speed-breakers will be laid to prevent animal deaths” said Mr. Sridharmurthy.
Toll collection plazasToll collection plazas have been proposed at Maddur, Kadakola and Varkodu as it will be a toll highway, while around 15 curves on the Mysore–T. Narsipur stretch would be straightened. In addition, a few curves along the Mysore–Nanjangud highway, including the curve near Kadakola, will also be straightened.
As a safety measure, crash guards will be installed along the lakes abutting the Mysore–Nanjangud stretch.
The project was originally intended to be taken up under public-private-partnership (PPP). However, it is now being executed on engineering procurement contract (EPC) basis.
