Finally, there appears some respite for road users commuting on National Highway 66 via Panambur, Baikampady and Kulai, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up road restoration works.
Developed under the Port Connectivity Project, the condition of NH 66 between Kuntikana and Kulai has been pathetic for over three years because of poor maintenance.
Water logging during monsoon used to wash away whatever pothole and crater-filling exercise was undertaken by the authority. Craters as deep as two feet had developed on certain stretches in Panambur.
The contractor chosen by the authority for annual maintenance has began attending to stretches demanding immediate attention starting with Honnakatte Junction at Kulai, Baikampady Industrial Area Junction and some stretches near New Mangalore Port Trust. The craters have been filled with 41 mm bitumen mix instead of wet concrete mix to offer durability, which after stabilisation, would get top rolling, said sources in NHAI.
All potholes and craters would similarly be filled and fresh top coat of bitumen would be provided at such places. The restoration work hopefully should last till the widening of the Port Connectivity Road to six lane, with two-lanes of service roads on both sides, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the contractor has commenced clearing of shrubs on the medians as well as road shoulders in the section.
NHAI would ensure that drains are cleared and new drains, at least kutcha, are provided to drain out rainwater during the monsoon, from the carriageways. Though the quality of road built by IRCON seven years ago has been excellent, potholes and craters have appeared in sections where rainwater gets accumulated, the sources noted.
As the restoration work has commenced well ahead of the monsoon, the restored stretches should properly stabilise before the region gets heavy rain, the sources hoped.
