Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Feb 11: The expectations of the people to be able to use repaired stretch of Shiradi Ghat section of national highway 75 during this year's rainy season is sure to be belied. The road will take much longer to be ready for use.
This became clear in the reply provided by PWD minister, Dr H C Mahadevappa, to a question raised by JDS MLA, M Srinivas. 'The 26 km stretch of Shiradi Ghat road will be developed in two phases of 13 km each. While one of these phases is expected to be ready by May this year, tender relating to the second phase was opened on Monday. This work will require an additional six months,' Mahadevappa clarified.
The minister added that the first 13 km stretch is being developed at a cost of Rs 69.90 crore.
M Srinivas had drawn attention of the minister to the fact that Rs 25.94 crore had been spent on Shiradi Ghat road during the last five years, and that traffic has been blocked this year once again for road development. He said that about a lac of people are dependent on this road on a daily basis, and they are facing untold miseries on this account.
The minister said that a permanent solution to the problems on this stretch is being provided now, and sought cooperation of the people, taking into account future benefits from this work. He said that once the work is finished, people will get a 8.5 metre-wide good quality concrete or asphalted road with 1.5 metres of shoulder.
He also said that consultations are also being held relating to the proposal of carving out tunnel road in Shiradi Ghat stretch with the assistance of Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) and that efforts are being made to get approval for this project as soon as possible.