The stretch will, however, be opened for traffic on June 1, Sudhir Krishna, the Principal Secretary to Public Works, Ports and Inland Water Transport Department, said.

The reopening was, in fact, targeted for March 2009.

Speaking to media at the National Highways Guest House in Dasarahalli on the Shiradi Ghat, about 120 km from Mangalore, Krishna said out of the 38-km stretch taken up for asphaltation (from 226th km at Sakleshpur to 264th km at Adda Hole near Gundya), work on 34 km has been completed barring on drainage and shoulders.

“Drainage and shoulder work can be completed in rainy season as well,” he said and added that work on either side of the concrete curves too is pending. The other pending works include installation of road signage boards and central line painting.

Critical curves

Meanwhile, eight critical curves have been concreted and work on the remaining five curves has been completed on one side. “Work on the other half of the five curves will be completed by month end,” he said.  “Out of the total 1,800-metre stretch to be concreted, 250 metres is yet to be concreted,” he said.