Public nod for 4-laning of Nelyadi-Chitradurga Highway

The farmers and general public unanimously expressed their willingness for the four-laning of Nelyadi-Chitradurga National Highway.

In a meeting held at Adyantaya Ranga Mandira on Friday, the people raised slogans against environmentalists who have been opposing the project and gave their approval for the project.

Inaugurating the meet, MLC M K Pranesh said that the farmers in Urubage, Tripura and Bettagere limits are not in a position to carry out agriculture, despite owning land.

Without knowing the reality, the so-called environmentalists have been posing objections for the four-laning project, said Pranesh.

The Charmadi Ghat, which provides connection to Mangaluru, is narrow and is on the verge of collapse. If the Nelyadi-Chitradurga four-lane becomes a reality, the burden on Charmadi Ghat will be reduced, he added.

Deputy Commissioner M K Srirangaiah said that a project has been drafted under Bharatmala project towards the construction of Nelyadi-Chitradurga four-lane highway. The cooperation of the local people towards land acquisition is necessary for the purpose. The proposed highway is 232-km long.

In the first phase, the work from Nelyadi to Handpost will be carried out. The highway will pass through the 20 villages of Chikkamagaluru and other places such as Madkal, Hesgal, Kollibailu, Karadagodu, Bilagula, Kaduvalli, Mudigere town, Halase, Muttigepura, Daradahalli, Bidarahalli, Halekote and Bairapura villages.

Owners of the lands will be provided with suitable compensation from National Highway Authority. In urban areas, the rate is fixed at 1:2 and in rural areas, the rate of 1:4 is fixed, said the DC.

Advocate Ashok urged for an increase in the compensation amount. Otherwise, approaching the court will be inevitable, he added.

There was a chaotic situation when the people gathered at the meeting started raising slogans against environmentalists present in the
meeting.

TP President K C Ratan, member Ranjan Ajit Kumar, ZP members Banakal Shyamanna, Sudha Yogesh, DySP P Chandrashekhar, DFO Kumar and Tahsildar Nagaiah Hiremath were present.