The proposed tunnel bypass for Shiradi Ghat will be executed without harming the flora and fauna in the Western Ghats, and the project will improve economic activities in the region, H.C. Mahadevappa, Public Works Minister, has said.
He was speaking to presspersons on Sunday after watching a presentation on the project screened by Geoconsult India Pvt. Ltd., the consultancy firm studying feasibility of the tunnel project.
The bypass takes off near Heggadde and merges with the National Highway 75 near Addahole, covering a distance of 22.84 km through seven tunnels and 10 bridges. The longest tunnel would be 2.7 km-long. Around 77 hectares of forest land would have to be acquired for the project.
A JICA project
“Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will execute the project using high-standard technology. In Japan, they have constructed tunnels under the sea as well. The consultancy agency will complete feasibility study and prepare a detailed project report [DPR] by May 2016,” the Minister said.
The project would improve road connectivity between Mangaluru and Bengaluru and Chennai, he said.
Oscar Fernandes, the former Union Minister for Surface Transport, said he had given in-principle approval for the project when he was the Minister. “JICA has shown interest to take up the project. I had discussed the project with the company’s officials when I was the Minister,” he said.
Geoconsult India bagged the tender for conducting feasibility study and preparing DPR at a cost of Rs. 10.15 crore. It has already submitted a report on three alternative alignments and recommended one among them (from Heggadde to Addahole) for implementation. The consultancy firm is expected to hold a meeting on the project with representatives of JICA in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Tunnel bypass to Shiradi Ghat
•Length : 22.84 km
•Total tunnels length : 12.41 km
•Total tunnels : 7 (Longest – 2.7 km)
•Total bridges: 10
•Forest area required: 77 ha
•Estimated cost : Rs. 10,000 crore
