CDA moots Bajpe-Athrady four-lane expressway

Feasibility report will be ready in 7 months, says Nagaraj Shetty

 The expressway starting at Bajpe would pass through Kateel, Moorukaveri, Mundkur, Belman, Shirva and Moodubelle to reach Athradi in Manipal.

Giving details about the same at a press conference in CDA office here on Friday, CDA Chairman B Nagaraj Shetty said the project to be envisaged at a cost of Rs 200 crore will ease the traffic on NH-17. “A number of NRIs hail from Belman, Shirva and Moodubelle.

Besides, a number of students study in Manipal university and other institutions in Udupi district,” he said and added that the expressway will be a boon for several people who arrive at airport from various destinations around the world.

The tenders to conduct feasibilty survey have already been awarded. While the 34-km stretch that comes under Dakshina Kannada district PWD has been awarded to Millennium Global Surveyors in Mangalore at a cost of Rs 13,09,238, the 38 kms stretch that comes under Udupi PWD has been awarded to Mappa in Bangalore at a cost of Rs 15,39,000. “The terms of references are in the final stages and an agreement will be signed with the firms within a month to conduct the feasibility survey,” he said and added that the feasibility report will be submitted to the government within six months after signing the agreement.

Stating that there are bottlenecks at Bajpe, Kateel, Moorukaveri, Mundkur, Belman, Shirva Masjid junction and Moodubelle areas, Shetty said that suitable alternative routes have to be identified.

Fisheries road

Giving details about another major project, that is, development of fisheries concrete road parallel to NH-17 in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, Nagaraj Shetty said the 325 km long proposed road with an estimated project cost of Rs 900 crore will not only help fisherfolk to quickly transport their catch, but will also help ease traffic on NH-17. “There is a strong need for a parallel road to minimise traffic on NH-17 and Fisheries Road could be best possible alternative,” he opined.

Millennium Global Surveyors have been awarded the tender (estimated cost Rs 67,86,085) to conduct feasibility survey between Mangalore and Baindoor (257 kms) while Design Consortium in Bangalore been received the tender (estimated cost Rs 53,25,000) to conduct survey in Udupi. The terms of reference are in final stages and an agreement will be signment within a month. Both the firms will get a six months time to submit the report, he informed.

Soubhagya Sanjeevini

Yet another project proposed by CDA is “Soubhagya Sanjeevini” wherein the excess water of 14 rivers flowing in three coastal districts (except Payaswini to avoid any possible controversies as it flows to Kerala) will be utilised for drinking, agriculture and industrial purposes. Clarifying that the project is not diversion of river, he said only the excess water from the rivers will be used through pipes to reach the designated areas to make good use of it. “A detailed study of the same will be conducted by a high power committee in two months in which Home Minister, A G Kodgi and former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu will be involved,” Shetty said.

The other projects proposed by the CDA include solar lighting system to five remote villages in the three coastal districts, organising a seminar on “Vision for next 25 to 30 years on planning / development” in September and construction of a building for CDA at Urwa at a cost of Rs 2 crore.

CDA Secretary K Prabhakar Rao, Members Gujjadi Prabhakar Nayak and Sulochana, Manager Praveen Nayak and Adviser Bhasker Shetty among others were present.