The State government has finalised the proposal to upgrade 1,361 km of the State highways at a cost of Rs. 4,600 crore under the Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project (KSHIP)-III, with assistance from the Asian Development Bank.
Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevapppa told The Hindu in Kalaburagi city on Monday that the State highways in Bagalkot, Gadag, Haveri, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Kolar, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Tumakuru, and Chitradurga will be upgraded.
The highways to be improved are — Bagalkot-Gadag-Shirahatti-Ranebennur- Honnalli (268 km); T.Narsipur-MM Hills-Palar up to the Tamil Nadu border (118 km); Uppin Betigeri-Tadas-Shivammogga-Shringeri-Donigal-Somvarpet up to the Kerala border (507 km); Kumta-Sirsi-Ekkumbi (79 km); Chitradurga-Chelikeri-Pavagada up to the Andhra Pradesh border (110 km); and from the Andhra Pradesh border to Chintamani-C.J. Halli-Magadi-K.R. Pet-Somvarpet (279 km).
Dr. Mahadevappa said tenders for the roadwork would be floated in January and the work would be completed by 2018.
Apart from this, World Bank has agreed to provide assistance for major developments of two main roads covering a distance of 304 km under the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain-Transfer scheme at a cost of Rs. 900 crore. These projects included Malavalli to Pavagada (195 km) at a cost of Rs. 575 crore and the Mudhol-Nippani State highway (109 km) at a cost of Rs. 325 crore.
Dr. Mahadevappa said a green signal has been given to the Karnataka Road Development Corporation to improve a stretch of 384 km in six major State highways under the co-financing scheme at a cost of Rs. 1,179 crore.
This included Bailongal-Bagewadi-Saudatti (63.28 km) at a cost of Rs. 235.75 crore; Hassan-Ramanathpura-Periyapatna (73.69 km) at a cost of Rs. 276.93 crore; Hirekerur-Ranebennur (55.69 km) at a cost of Rs. 219.95 crore; Mundargi-Hadgali-Harpanahalli (51.2 km) at a cost of Rs. 205.13 crore; Hungund-Muddebheal-Talikot (56.98 km) at a cost of Rs. 204.92 crore; and Bidar-Humnabad-Chincholi (60.04 km) at a cost of Rs. 226.28 crore.
The Minister said measures have been initiated to remove all hurdles for taking up roadwork under the KSHIP-I and KSHIP-II projects.
Green signal has been given to Karnataka Road Development Corporation to improve 384 km in six major State highways under the co-financing scheme
H.C. Mahadevapppa,Minister for Public Works
