Widening of NH-212 misses deadline

Piece of land near Basavanapura yet to be acquired

The works on the widening of National-Highway 212 has missed the deadline. It may take another three months for the completion, but, for the pending approval for extension of contract period from authorities concerned.

Participating in the quarterly review meeting of District Vigilance and In-Charge Committee at Zilla Panchayat auditorium on Tuesday here, Executive Engineer of the project M Satish told Chamarajanagar MP R Dhruvanarayan, also chairman of the committee, that the work on a total stretch of 129 km (as NH-212 is connected from Uttamballi in Kollegal taluk, Chamarajanagar district, passing through Mysuru-Nanjangud and culminating at Karnataka-Kerala border) remains to be completed, with pending works on 11 km of the highway.”

The officer reasoned, a bit of land abutting the highway between Basavanapura and Mallanamoole Mutt had stymied the works, as the landlord had moved court against it. “He (the landlord) has succeeded in bringing a stay order from the local court and has erected a board warning against trespassing. Incidentally, it was presumed that the land in question was acquired for the project. So, the works on the new bridge (two-lane) next to the existing bridge between Basavanapura and Sujathapuram remains to be completed,” the officer added.

Meanwhile, there was a request from the state government to include the works on converting the existing two-lane road between Madhuvana (JSS College for Arts, Science and Commerce) and ML Somasundaram Circle (Mysore Race Club junction) inside Mysuru city, to be four-laned under the same project. The works on particular stretch also remains to be completed, as 91 trees identified for cutting are yet to be axed. It is expected to be taken up soon as DCF (Mysuru territorial division) V Karikalan has stated that the tenders had been invited to cut the trees, he added.
Satish said, “Following the pending works, it has been written to the chief engi-
neer, seeking permission to extend the contract period by three months. The reply is awaited.

The works launched in July 2014 at an estimated cost of Rs 419 crore was expected to be completed before June 18, 2016. Of the 129 km, a majority of 102 km was identified for two lane and remaining 27 km from two lane to four lane, especially between Mysuru and Gundlupet, considering the huge traffic density.


DH News Service