Public Works Development (PWD) Minister H C Mahadevappa on Monday said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would soon finalise the estimate for the proposed project to upgrade the Bidar-Chamarajanagar National Highway into an eight-lane road.

Speaking to reporters after interacting with party workers at the KPCC office, he said that the 850-km highway connects the northern and the southern parts of the State. Once upgraded, it would enable easier access to Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, besides spurring economic activity along the stretch. The existing road would be improved and widened under the project, he added. The State government, in its 2013-14 budget, had announced the upgradation of the highway, terming it ‘Kalyana Patha’ with an aim to encourage the development of industries and small towns along the road. ‘Kalyana Patha’ was one of the promises made by the Congress party in its 2013 Assembly election manifesto. Mahadevappa said that he had recently held a meeting with the NHAI officials in this regard and they had assured to take up the project at the earliest. The previous Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had approved the upgradation project, he added.

He also said that the State had submitted to the NHAI several improvement projects to the tune of Rs 13,000 crore, to be taken up in Karnataka.

On the bad condition of roads across the State, the minister said that the roads had been damaged due to heavy rainfall in many places. The government has, therefore, released Rs 500 crore for the repair. The PWD will take up the repair works once the rains subside, he added.  Mahadevappa said that the PWD had developed a Road Information System (RIS) to ensure proper upkeep of roads. Information on the status of all roads and of ongoing projects can be obtained from the RIS. It is not possible to hoodwink the government by generating fake bills, he said.