Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevappa expressed hope that the National Highway Authoritys of India (NHAI) will begin the long-pending work on widening Bengaluru-Mysuru highway in December-January.
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Mr. Mahadevappa said the work will begin only after the Union Cabinet clears the proposal. “We have brought it to the notice of the Union Surface Transport Minister. I will bring it to their notice again this month end or early next month,” he said.
He said the NHAI had cited hurdles in land acquisition and delay in disbursal of compensation among the reasons for the delay. But the State Government, which is acquiring about 2,000 acres of the land for the project, had acquired about 80 to 85% of the land already.
The State government has already informed the Centre about the progress in land acquisition and asked them to start the work by December this year.
The existing four-lane National Highway 275 between Bengaluru and Mysuru is proposed to be widened into a six-lane highway with two-lane service roads on either side of the highway. Hence, the highway when completed will have a six-lane main carriageway, which will be tolled, while the two-lane service roads on either side of the highway will not be tolled.
The project also envisages construction of flyovers in Bidadi and Srirangapatna, besides bypasses at Ramanagaram, Channapatna and Mandya.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mahadevappa said the highway, which had been damaged at different places during the recent rains, had been repaired.