Road works on, but traffic movement continues on Bengaluru-Mangaluru Highway

Mysuru: Even as the road users are inconvenienced, due to the ongoing works on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway, via Shiradi Ghat in Hassan district, there were rumours that the vehicular traffic would be stopped, to facilitate the completion of the long-pending works.

More than 40,000 vehicles ply on the highway every day, on this stretch. Thousands of trucks, bound for Mangaluru port from Bengaluru side and goods vehicles from Kerala ply on the stretch. Thus, the road is a major corridor in the supply chain of both domestic and export markets and contributes a lot to the economy of the region.

No road block

However, Deputy Commissioner of Hassan district C Sathyabhama clarified that there is no plan for any such ban on traffic, on the stretch, and the road users need not worry.

Speaking to DH, she said, if the project director of the ongoing works seeks, the traffic would be diverted only for a short distance of 2 km, temporarily, to facilitate the works. “However, the project director has not sought any such thing, so far,” she said.

Protests planned

A few people’s organisations in Sakleshpur, Hassan district, were apprehensive and had even planned to stage a protest, demanding not to close the road for traffic. However, the DC said that there was no such move.

But, the vehicles passing on the stretch - between Donigal and Maranahalli - are engulfed in dust due to the incomplete road works. This has become a great hazard to road users as the dust poses a threat to their health. The riders are seen covering their nose and mouth, with masks while driving on the stretch, complain residents in nearby villages.

2017 project

It can be noted that the tender for the works for the 45-km four-lane road was issued in 2017, and the contractor had to complete the works by March 31, 2019, and hand it over to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). But, even after six years after the deadline, the 10-km stretch from Donigal to Maranahalli is incomplete. The vehicles are affected due to the poor roads and face issues like punctured tyres, snapped axle and others.

However, NHAI authorities shared that they will complete the works by the end of June, this year. Meanwhile, the first rains of this summer on Wednesday, after a gap of five months since the monsoon ended, at Kollahalli caused a lot of inconvenience to road users, as the water stagnated on the newly laid road.

One-way

The DC said, one-way traffic has been implemented to avoid rush. “Traffic is allowed on one half of the road, while works are under progress on the remaining half, from Donigal to Maranahalli,” she said.

“Two years ago, an alternative road was laid, when there was a major landslide on the highway. Thus, the diversion is just over a couple of km. The vehicles from Mangaluru to Sakleshpur should join Donigal via Kappalli and Kesaganahalli, a portion of the old highway. The vehicles bound towards Mangaluru from Sakleshpur side can use the new highway itself,” she said.