From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 14: A Rs 588 crore road project for widening the 150-kms stretch of National Highway from Kerala Border to Kollegal has received Central government’s approval.

The Central Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for two/four laning with Paved Side Shoulders (PSS) of the Kerala Border-Kollegal section of National Highway-212.

The widening of the national highway in Karnataka under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) is being taken up under Phase IV on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (BOT/DBFOT) basis in build-operate-transfer (BOT) toll mode of delivery.

This information has been given as per a press release issued by the Central Government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB).

The cost is estimated to be Rs 588.49 crore including the cost of Rs 65 crore towards land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities.

The total length of the road will be approximately 150 km, the PIB press release said.

The project will expedite improvement of infrastructure in Karnataka and also reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between the Kerala Border till Kollegal.

NH-212 connects Kozhikode in Kerala to Kollegal in the State and passes through important towns of Gundlupet, Nanjangud, Mysore and T-Narsasipur.

Development of this stretch would also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region of Karnataka.

It would also increase employment potential for local labourers, the statement said.