Four-lane work on 45 km of NH 75 likely to be ready by March next

NHAI which is executing the project on NH 75 under EPC mode says the progress of work stands at 23.5%

Work on this stretch of the two-lane carriageway on National Highway 75 between Hassan and Maranahalli at Heddurga in Hassan district has been completed.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has fixed March 2022 deadline for completing four-laning work on the 45-km stretch of National Highway 75 between Hassan and Maranahalli in Hassan district.

From km 189.7 to km 237, NH 75 was proposed to be widened to four lanes with concrete pavement and the contract was initially awarded to Isolux Corsan India Engineering and Construction Pvt. Ltd. in 2017. Following the contractor going insolvent, the authority asked sub contractor Rajkamal Builders Pvt. Ltd. to continue the work. The project was being executed under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode at an estimated cost of ₹537.92 crore.

With 23.5% progress at present, work on building the four-lane highway was under progress on the stretch even as the contractor was constructing extended culverts at many places.

The four-lane highway would have one vehicular underpass at Kollahalli on Sakleshpur Bypass and a grade separator at Byrapura-Alur Road Junction. In all, there would be three bypasses — Palya Bypass (1.22 km); Ballupet Bypass (1.55 km) and Sakleshpur Bypass (5.43 km). The bypasses would avoid the highway going through thickly populated residential and commercial areas en route , particularly the narrow stretch inside Sakleshpur Town.

Easing congestion

While the four-lane stretch between Hassan and Maranahalli would considerably ease the congestion on this stretch of NH 75 upon its completion, the stretch of the highway between Adda Hole and BC Road in Dakshina Kannada district was yet to be made a four-lane road. The 25-km stretch on Shiradi Ghat between Maranahalli and Adda Hole would continue to remain two-lane.

The NHAI was yet to award contract for four-laning the Adda Hole-BC Road stretch of NH 75 and at least, another two years were required to complete the work after the contract is awarded. Larsen and Toubro, the contractor chosen earlier to execute the work, foreclosed the contract as NHAI had to change the scope of work to accommodate animal corridors between the Adda Hole-Periyashanthi stretch.

Now, the authority has divided this 63-km stretch into two packages.