The government has decided to borrow $ 350 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for developing core road network of 1,193 km in the State under the third phase of the Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project (KSHIP-III).
The process for acquiring more than 1,000 acres was on for developing the core road network and road works expected to commence this year. Land for road projects has been notified and land losers would paid compensation as per the amount fixed by a committee headed by Deputy Commissioners.
By borrowing the second ADB loan for the KSHIP, the Public Works Department has decided to develop 418 km of roads in three packages. Roads between Kollegal-Hanur (23.8 km), Chintamani-Andhra Pradesh border (39.8 km) and Bengaluru (NICE Road) - Magadi (51 km) would be developed in the first phase at an estimated expenditure of ₹ 671 crore.
In the second phase, 166 km between Magadi and Somwarpet in Kodagu would be developed at a cost of ₹ 691 crore. A total of 139 km would be developed in the third phase between Gadag and Honnali at an expenditure of ₹ 578 crore. Toll would be collected from road users, sources in the PWD told The Hindu .
A total of 2385 km was developed under the KSHIP-I which was completed during 2001-08, by spending ₹ 2390 crore (₹ 1635 crore World Bank loan). The KSHIP-II was launched in 2011 for developing 1,195 km by borrowing $ 350 million from the World Bank and $ 315 million from the ADB. It is expected to be completed in June, 2018.
Officials said a total of 1,193 km of roads has been short-listed for developing under the core road network under KSHIP-III at an estimated cost of ₹ 7416 crore, including the ADB loan and State government funding.
