Addahole–B C Road 4-laning work moving at snail’s pace

The incomplete work on the four-laning of National Highway 75 from Addahole to B C Road – covering a distance of 63.05-km, is likely to pose problems during monsoon.

The work was entrusted to Larsen and Toubro (L&T).

The mud from the half-razed hillocks is likely to flow out on to the road and disrupt the movement of vehicles on the highway.

Further, there is a likelihood of rainwater with mud inundating arecanut and coconut plantations located along the highway.

As per the agreement of the work, the four-laning of the concrete road should have been completed within 30 months at an expenditure of Rs 821 crore under engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. The project comprised the construction of 14.5-km service roads, two flyovers, two major bridges, 14 minor bridges and nine underpasses.

The foundation for the work was laid by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at Panambur on March 28, 2017, and the work should have been completed by September 23, 2019. Now, the contractor Larsen and Toubro has only four months to complete the work as per the agreement.As a part of the work, gravels have been laid on one side of the road at Budoli, Valalu and some other locations on the stretch. The work on the culvert has been taken up on a few locations including Peramogaru.

Although gravels have been laid at Perne, the existing road has developed potholes, making the travel a roller coaster. At Udane, boulders had been exploded and boulders are left as they are beside the road. At Kokkada, a huge hillock has been cut to straighten the road and along with the mud. Uprooted trees are lying unattended on the stretch.

The mud from the hillocks has already entered drains. This, in turn, will disrupt the easy flow of water during monsoon.

The works have also remained incomplete from Neerakatte to Addahole.

During the last monsoon, a hillock had caved in near Periyashanti and disrupted the movement of vehicles on the stretch. Pits have been dug beside the road for laying a new road. Rainwater will remain stagnant on it during monsoon.

When asked about the slow progress of work, sources in NHAI said, “The contractor has promised to complete the work on culverts, minor bridges, two medium bridges and 27 retaining walls. Further, during the last monsoon, hillocks had caved in at a few locations. As a result, now we have to acquire 47 hectares of additional land including forest land for the widening purpose.

The preliminary notification for the acquisition of the land had been issued. Final notification will be issued shortly and the land will be handed over to the contractor after the monsoon. The work will accelerate after the monsoon.”

Sources said, “The contractor will only maintain the highway during monsoon. After the monsoon, the concrete work will be completed.”