Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 8: Under the ambitious Bharatmala project of the department of road transport and highways which will replace the existing highway projects, national highway 75 between the city and Bengaluru has been included. As per this futuristic plan of the central government, the road from here to the capital city of Karnataka will be turned into high speed, eight lane road. Estimated investments for this transformation happens to be Rs 1.2 lac crore. This project will be implemented either by National Highways Authority of India or Central Road Research Institute.

Detailed project report and preliminary surveys connected with this proposed work are under way. The work on upgrading this road will be taken up within three to four months, as per reports.

Roads being built under Bharatmala scheme are meant for fast movement of vehicles. Therefore these roads cannot have potholes, humps, etc. The ghat section of the road where potholes during rainy season have become the order of the day, will be built by using rubberized tar, it is gathered. The department's experience is that rubber roads built in steep terrain by following cold mix technology have endured harsh climatic conditions and movement of vehicles better for a longer period. Therefore, the department has been building rubberized roads with cold mix technology in places where rainfall has been abundant.

As vehicles are expected to zoom at around 120 km per hour on these roads, the roads have to be bereft of steep bends, ups and downs. Separate lanes will be earmarked for the movement of buses, ambulances, cars and goods vehicles. Therefore, the current time needed to reach Bengaluru from here will come down to four to five hours, it is learnt. The proposed road , which will take five years to complete, will be on the current route of the highway, but will have only two tollgates at the beginning and the end, as per the plan now.