Our Bureau

Bangalore , Sept. 25

THE National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) intends to shortly start work on connecting the New Mangalore Port Trust with a four-lane link.

The Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Mr Muniyappa, told reporters that the project was being taken up under a major port connectivity programme. Once completed, this highway will link up with the National Highway 17 at Suratkal and Banatwal.

Mr Muniyappa said the State Government had also proposed that NHAI take up road development works in Bangalore to ease congestion. This proposal is being examined by the authority, he added.

The Minister said NHAI has taken up for development seven highway projects in Karnataka under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase 111A on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis, totalling a length of 457 km. These include highway stretches between Neelmangala-Bangalore, Bangalore-Hoskote-Mulbagal, Belgaum-Karnataka/Goa border, Bangalore-Hosur, Kundapur-Surathkal, Mangalore-Karnataka/Kerala border and Neelmangala-Hassan.

"Steps have been taken to expedite the implementation of these projects and the actual work is likely to start in a year," he said.

Out of the 14 national highways in Karnataka spanning a length of 3,978 km, 655 km are being taken up for development by NHAI. During the current year, it is proposed to widen 90 km of a single lane highway into a two-lane highway, apart from maintenance of national highways.

The Road Transport and Highway Ministry has also decided to take up development of bypasses around major cities of the State.

Karnataka, he said, has been sanctioned Rs 404.03 crore under the Central Road Fund scheme for upgradation of roads in the State. In addition, Rs 53 crore is being sanctioned for taking up new road projects under the scheme, he added.

Mr Muniyappa sought the co-operation and support of the State Government in implementing national highway projects in the State.

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