Concreting of B'luru-Mysuru highway on the anvil: Minister

'Centre has given in-principle approval to NHAI to acquire land'

The State government has sent a proposal to the Centre to concretise the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway when the project to widen the stretch from four lanes to six lanes is taken up next year.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa said the Centre had given in-principle clearance for the National Highways Authority of India to take up the land acquisition process for widening the 123-km stretch. The land acquisition is likely to cost Rs 2,500 crore, while the road works an additional Rs 3,500 crore.

“We have suggested that along with the widening process, the road be concretised to withstand long-term wear and tear. The Centre is yet to respond to our proposal. The widening work will commence next year,” Mahadevappa said.

In addition, there is a proposal to four-lane the 37-km stretch of Kanakapura Road linking Bengaluru and two-lane the Kanakapura- Malavalli and Chamarajnagar- Satyamangalam stretches.

The minister said the State had released Rs 500 crore for filling potholes on the State highways and district roads. As many as 7,500 unscientific road humps on the State highways and district roads had been removed, he added.

The State government has recommended to the Centre that 2,218 km of the State highways be upgraded to national highways. These include Yellapura-Siddapura- Bhatkal (219 km), Belagavi-Bagalkot- Raichur (336 km), Sirsi-Haveri- Molakapura, Manadwadi-H D Kote- Jayapura (103 km) and Chintamani- Challur (55 km).