Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Sep 22: After a long pause, work on the long-awaited 63 kilometre -long B C Road - Addahole stretch of national highway 75 has come to life. Preliminary processes are under way now.

Contract for the 48 km stretch of the highway between B C Road and Periyashanti has been bagged by Hyderabad-based KNR Constructions Ltd for Rs 1,100.88 crore. The remaining 15 km road from Periyashanti to Addahole has been allotted to S M Authade Pvt Ltd from Maharashtra for Rs 317 crore. Machinery required for laying the road is being installed at Udane in Shiradi.

Initially the entire road widening contract was bagged by L&T. The speed at which the company began work initially had given rise to the expectation that the entire work might be finished in a couple of years. But because of technical hitches and problems of forest land etc, the company had withdrawn from executing the contract.

Kalladka flyover: Preparations for the flyover on the six-lane road at Kalladka have begun. Preliminary work like geological verification between Poorlipady to K C Road is under way. For the installation of huge pillars, examination of sand and rocks in the earth are being undertaken. After considering various options like bypass road, underpass, flyover etc the National Highways Authority of India has finalised flyover at Kalladka.

National Highways Authority of India project director at Mangaluru, Shishumohan, said that once the appointed date is finalised, all the works on the highway will begin together and currently only preliminary processes have been undertaken.