<p>The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up a project to upgrade Bangalore-Dindigul (in Tamil Nadu) National Highway (NH-209), till Kanakapura into a four-lane, Public Works Department Minister C M Udasi said on Tuesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Replying to a question by Maritibbe Gowda (JD-S) on steps being taken to ease the traffic congestion on the Bangalore-Mysore State Highway, in the Legislative Council, he said traffic congestion on the Bangalore-Mysore Road will ease considerably once the NHAI’s proposed project is implemented. <br /><br />Bangalore-Dindigul road that starts from Diwan Madhav Rao Road in Basavanagudi, Bangalore and links at Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, passes through Kanakapura, Malavalli and Kollegal towns in Karnataka. Mysore is located at about 40 kms from Malavalli.<br /><br />Currently, the NH-209 route is in a bad condition. It has numerous curves which pose a threat to motorists. Under the proposed project, the NHAI will widen the road wherever necessary, NHAI official, who refused to be quoted, said.<br /><br />The NHAI actually wanted to upgrade the entire stretch of NH-209 into a four-lane. But the traffic demand study revealed that four-laning beyond Kanakapura was not necessary. Besides, it was found that acquisition of lands on either side of the road would be difficult as most of them were forest lands, officials said.<br /><br />Udasi said the State government has requested the NHAI to construct bypass roads at all towns along the NH-209 route so that local people can use the road without any risk.<br /><br />The minister said there is a need for upgrading the existing Bangalore-Mysore State highway into a six-lane, but acquiring land for the project is a hurdle as a lot of development has taken place on both the sides of the road. Besides, maintenance contract of the road (which has been developed on annuity basis) has been awarded till 2014, he said.<br /><br />Replying to a question by Capt Ganesh Karnik on the PWD not providing service roads and bypass roads for the safe movement of local people along many highways, Udasi said construction of service roads has become difficult due to haphazard development on either side of highways in the State. “Service roads can be developed only with respect to four-lane roads and it is not possible for two-lane highways,” he said.<br /><br />The urban local bodies should strictly regulate the development activities along highways. Commercial activities are posing a threat to the road users, the minister said.<br /></p>
<p>The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up a project to upgrade Bangalore-Dindigul (in Tamil Nadu) National Highway (NH-209), till Kanakapura into a four-lane, Public Works Department Minister C M Udasi said on Tuesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Replying to a question by Maritibbe Gowda (JD-S) on steps being taken to ease the traffic congestion on the Bangalore-Mysore State Highway, in the Legislative Council, he said traffic congestion on the Bangalore-Mysore Road will ease considerably once the NHAI’s proposed project is implemented. <br /><br />Bangalore-Dindigul road that starts from Diwan Madhav Rao Road in Basavanagudi, Bangalore and links at Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, passes through Kanakapura, Malavalli and Kollegal towns in Karnataka. Mysore is located at about 40 kms from Malavalli.<br /><br />Currently, the NH-209 route is in a bad condition. It has numerous curves which pose a threat to motorists. Under the proposed project, the NHAI will widen the road wherever necessary, NHAI official, who refused to be quoted, said.<br /><br />The NHAI actually wanted to upgrade the entire stretch of NH-209 into a four-lane. But the traffic demand study revealed that four-laning beyond Kanakapura was not necessary. Besides, it was found that acquisition of lands on either side of the road would be difficult as most of them were forest lands, officials said.<br /><br />Udasi said the State government has requested the NHAI to construct bypass roads at all towns along the NH-209 route so that local people can use the road without any risk.<br /><br />The minister said there is a need for upgrading the existing Bangalore-Mysore State highway into a six-lane, but acquiring land for the project is a hurdle as a lot of development has taken place on both the sides of the road. Besides, maintenance contract of the road (which has been developed on annuity basis) has been awarded till 2014, he said.<br /><br />Replying to a question by Capt Ganesh Karnik on the PWD not providing service roads and bypass roads for the safe movement of local people along many highways, Udasi said construction of service roads has become difficult due to haphazard development on either side of highways in the State. “Service roads can be developed only with respect to four-lane roads and it is not possible for two-lane highways,” he said.<br /><br />The urban local bodies should strictly regulate the development activities along highways. Commercial activities are posing a threat to the road users, the minister said.<br /></p>
