Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 20: On account of frequent landslides and road damages during the monsoon months, maintaining of the Shiradi Ghat stretch of the national highway 75 has been most challenging job over the years. Now, most of the processes for the much-awaited tunnel route under the Shiradi Ghat that will considerably reduce the distance between the city and Bengaluru and reduce the driving time as well as fuel, have been completed. The National Highways Authority of India is now awaiting the land acquisition notification.

The tunnel is proposed to be laid from Addahole to Heggade in Sakleshpur. The distance of the tunnel will be 23.57 km. Most of the land proposed to be used for the road is owned by the government and about 30 percent is privately owned. Therefore, land acquisition might prove to be a smooth affair and tender will be floated thereafter, sources said.

Shiradi Ghat road (file photo)

The tunnel route will pass through Addahole, Gundia, Yedakumeri, Kadagaravalli and Marnahalli. It will have six tunnels and ten bridges. Cost of the project had been estimated at Rs 10,015 crore seven years ago, and now it might be about Rs 12,000 crore. Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) had prepared the detailed project report of the project. Previously JICA was planned to partner the project, but now the tunnel will be part of the ambitious Sagar Mala project of the government with technical support from Japan.

One of the major advantages of this tunnel is that a large chunk of the export business that is routed through Chennai port now may be diverted to Mangaluru as the transportation of heavy goods will be smoother. Chennai port is under pressure now as even Odisha is dependent on it. Already, tender has been floated for 262 km express highway costing Rs 20,000 crore between Bengaluru and Chennai. There is proposal to convert Mangaluru-Bengaluru national highway into express highway and the tunnel will supplement the progress of the region.