Mangaluru: Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that the work on the proposed tunnel route in the Shiradi Ghat section of Mangaluru-Bangaluru highway will take off before December 2016.
Speaking to reporters in the city on Tuesday, he said that the estimated cost of the project is Rs 12,000 crore for the proposal that intends to provide six tunnels and 10 bridges on the existing stretch. The detailed project report is getting ready on the proposed tunnel route,” he added.
Shiradi Ghat is the major connectivity between the Port City of Mangaluru and the state capital and over the last few years the pathetic condition of this stretch had left the commuters high and dry.
The Minister said that he received a proposal from Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mangaluru, to construct bypass roads so as to prevent traffic congestion and make their transport smoother and that he would look into it.
New criteria for driving license
Minister Gadkari said that as many as 5 lakh accident cases were being reported every year in the country resulting in around 1.50 lakh deaths. Holding issuing of driving license as the main reason behind this, he said that India is one of the easiest countries in the world to obtain a driving license and that almost 30 per cent of the licenses currently in use are bogus.
To curb this, new driving centres will be setup where in driving tests will be computerized and thereby licenses will be issued on the basis of the performance. Second, emphasis will be laid on Road Engineering where in accidental spots will be identified and solutions will be worked out. Also, adequate underpasses and flyovers will be built. Thirdly, Road Safety Authority will be formed, he informed.
Extension of NH
The Minister said that the National Highway which currently measures 96,000 kms will be extended to 1.5 lakh kms keeping in mind the density of vehicles. This will diversify traffic and thereby reduce mishaps. He also said that plans to build 4, 6 and 8 lane roads are in the pipeline.
New Express Highways
Work pertaining to the first Express Highway in the country has already been started. The Rs 13,000 crore project will be a bypass between Westernly and Easternly Delhi, he informed. The subsequent Express Highways will connect Mumbai-Pune, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Chennai, Amaravati (Vijayawada)-Hyderabad and Amaravati-Bengaluru. The government is also mooting for Delhi-Srinagar Express Highway, he informed.
