Four-lane highway to have many facilities

DEVELOPMENT: The stretch between Mahaveer Circle and Nanthoor in Mangalore is part of the 90-km four-lane project of the NHAI. Photo: R. Eswarraj

Many flyovers, subways for pedestrians, truck and bus lay-bys, bus shelters and rest areas have been proposed under the Rs. 674-crore project to widen the 90-km two-lane Kundapur-Talapady section of National Highway 17 to four lanes. The project is being taken up in two sections — Kundapur-Surathkal (section 1) and Nanthoor-Talapady (section 2) — under phase 3 of the National Highway Development on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The Hyderabad-based Navayuga Engineering Company has been awarded the contract. The stretch between Surathkal and Nanthoor is being developed under the port connectivity project and executed by IRCON.

According to NHAI sources, the project will have three landscaped toll plazas at Gundmi, between Saligrama and Hangarakatta, at Padubidri in section 1 and at Talapady in section 2. Traffic aid, medical aid and vehicle rescue posts have been proposed at every toll plaza, in addition to telecom counters and rest areas with toilets.

Truck lay-bys are planned on either side of the road at Herur near Brahmavar, both sides at Mulki and on one side at Thokuttu. There will be bus lay-bys and shelters on either side of the road at Kumbhashi, Kota village, Saligrama, Gundmi, Saasthan, Uppinakote, Brahmavar, Uppur, Puttur, Kotpadi, Kaup, Muloor, Uchila, Ermalubada, Thenkaermalu, Padubidri, Mulky, Haleyangadi, and on one side of the road at Mukka. Eleven more lay-bys are proposed between the 5th and 17th km of the stretch between Mangalore and Talapady.

Two flyovers will come up at Mahaveer (Pumpwell) Circle and Thokkuttu and one at Udupi. Traffic underpasses are planned on Lions Club Road in Kundapur and near NIT-K in Suratkal. There will be 10 underpasses for cattle and seven for pedestrians in section 1 and two pedestrian subways in section 2.

In addition, all the minor and major bridges on the 90-km stretch will get additional and parallel bridges. The sources said that the contractor had been asked to provide 34.56 km of service roads in section 1 and 9.3 km of service roads in section 2 near habitations.