Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Oct 9: The widening work of the 63-km stretch of national highway (NH) 75 between B C Road and Addahole has begun in all earnestness. The work which had been undertaken a few years back which got stranded, and there was no progress ever since, has resumed. Now, the work of evicting the buildings on both sides of the highway in Kalladka town has been undertaken.

Pre-construction activity relating to the proposed six-lane flyover at Kalladka has begun. The work of clearing buildings in Kalladka appears to be permanently changing the very appearance of Kalladka town.

Hotel Laxmi Nivas building, which was widely known for the Kalladka KT tea which was very much liked by the road users including tourists, will be demolished for paving way for the road widening work. The hotel has a history of 65 years. On October 10, the hotel will stop functioning. People who are desirous of tasting their favourite KT tea have to visit Kalladka now. Owner of the hotel, Shivaram Holla, said that by November, a new hotel will be built behind the spot where the KT hotel building currently stands.

The 48-km stretch of highway four lane work between B C Road and Periyashanti has been given on contract to KNR Constructions Hyderabad for Rs 1,100.88 crore.  On this stretch, the only flyover will be located at Kalladka.  Tender on the 15-km road stretch between Periyashanti and Addahole has been bagged by M Authade Pvt Ltd, Maharashtra, for Rs 317 crore. The company has already begun to install machinery at Udane, Shiradi.

It is not clear how the highway will pass through at Kalladka. Earlier, it was said that the highway will move through the town like it is now. However, on another occasion, it was said that a bypass road would be built. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had finally decided on a flyover. It is said that after the clearance operation of buildings and houses in the first phase, service roads will be built on both the sides at Kalladka after which flyover construction will be undertaken.

Marking disappears: Sometime back, flyover marking had been made from Kalladka K C Road to Kudrebettu. The starting point and the ending points of the flyover had been marked with paint. But during the period asphalting work was undertaken, these markings have got obliterated.

The preliminary geotechnical investigation has been undertaken at Kalladka as a prelude to the flyover construction. The work, undertaken between Poorlipady to K C Road, is on the verge of completion. Testing of stones and soil has been undertaken for the erection of huge pillars, with the help of machinery.

Currently, as part of the initial work for the said project, road widening work with the help of backhoes has been undertaken.

Shivaram Holla, of Hotel Laxmi Nivas Hotel at Kalladka, known in the region for the special KT tea, said that the officials have given the deadline of October 10 for vacating the building. He said that the hotel will cease to function from that day and after the new building is completed by November, the hotel will be shifted there. He said the work can move faster if everyone cooperates.

NHAI project director at Mangaluru, Shishumohan, said that all the works on the 63-km highway stretch will begin together once the acquired land and buildings are vacated. He added that the work will get brisk after October 12.