The remaining 12.38 km of concreting of the Shiradi Ghat (NH-48), that connects Bengaluru with Mangaluru (and most of coastal Karnataka) is scheduled to begin in the second week of January 2018.
Consequently, the road will be completely closed for traffic for five months according to the Public Works Department (PWD).
Shiradi Ghat passes through the scenic Western Ghats that run along the coast of Karnataka. Almost half of the ghat is a national highway.
Dakshina Kannada in-Charge Minister B Ramanatha Rai and other MLAs had requested that the ghat be partially closed to allow light motor vehicles and two-wheelers to pass.
But the PWD has written to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stating that such a move would adversely affect the quality of concreting of the road and is hence not advisable. Therefore, the highway will be entirely closed to all types of traffic for five months.
PWD will make an official announcement of the closure after a meeting with senior NHAI officials next week, PWD sources told DH.
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