Mangalore  is an important all-weather port city of Karnataka, growing in a big way with its knowledge-building infrastructure like premier education institutions and software training facilities of giants like Infosys, Wipro etc.

However the city is now facing the problem of lack of infrastructure facilities like road, power, water etc. The most important among these is the main connecting road to the hinterland of this port city and the state capital, Bangalore.

National Highway 48 which connects Mangalore with Bangalore is in a very bad condition. During rainy days traversing through Shiradi Ghat section is very difficult.

Due to heavily loaded trucks plying on these roads and heavy rains, maintenance of the road in this area is very difficult  and it is high time we switch over to new concrete roads from the conventional one, as the banning of heavy vehicles in this road is not the proper or permanent solution.

Now, with modern technology and existence of many reputed infrastructure building giants in the country it is not difficult to improve this road, at least the ghat section from Sakleshpur to Nelyadi, by making it all weather concrete, 4 lane or 6 lane road on build, own, operate and transfer method.

Commuters may not object paying  the toll for good quality roads, considering the hardship of waiting for hours in ghat section due to traffic jams and accidents.

If all the political leaders of the region, leaving all the political differences between them strive hard, it is not difficult to make this happen within a short period. All that is required is honesty, political wisdom, vision for the future and the team work among political leaders irrespective of their party identities.

Konkan railway is the best example for this, as, but for the hard work and the sincerity of Mr George Fernandes it would not have been the reality today. The expertise of Konkan railway corporation can be utilised for building this ghat road, as they are experts in building tunnels and bridges in tough terrains.
 
Ramakanth Udupa.K.
Bangalore