Work on Hubballi’s first flyover may begin by year end

HUBBALLI: The flyover project at the Kittur Rani Chennamma Circle in Hubballi is all set to become a reality.
According to government officials, if everything goes as per the plan, the construction work will kick off by the end of 2020.
The authorities have completed the formalities of floating Rs 298 crore tender and the bids are expected to be opened in the month of September.
R K Mathad, PWD, national highway division officer, said there has been demand for the flyover or underpass at Kittur Rani Channamma Circle for many years. “Several discussions were held, proposals were sent and several panel members visited the site to verify the requirement and feasibility of the flyover in a period of over 10 years. But, the hope for the flyover raised suddenly when Union road transport & highways minister Nitin Gadkari announced funds for junction management nearly four years ago. Now, tender is called for the construction of the first phase of the flyover at Chennamma Circle, after several revisions of the detailed project report (DPR) and technical issues,” he said.
After Gadkari’s announcement, a Mumbai-based consultancy prepared a DPR of Rs 1,242 crore to construct flyovers at Chennamma Circle in Hubballi and at Jubilee Circle in Dharwad. As per the minister’s advise, the cost and the length of the flyover was reduced. As per revised DPR, now work on flyover at KC circle at a cost of Rs 300 crore will be taken up in the first phase while Rs 360 crore was already sanctioned, he said.
According to sources, the work is expected to be completed in three years and now the state government, which shares 50% of the cost, is also seeking for 3,370 square metre land to be acquired.
Prahlad Joshi, Union parliamentary affairs minister, who is also the MP of this area, said that national highway division of PWD has prepared the DPR as per grants limitations and urgent need to de-congest the traffic at the KC circle. Some procedures were delayed due to the lockdown, and construction related works will definitely begin by this year end, Joshi added.
Flyover plan
As per the existing plan, the existing structure of the Chennamma Circle will not be disturbed, but will be enhanced. A 17-metre wide oval shape flyover will cover the circle, above minimum six metre of height. From there, a four-lane road would connect Lamington Road up to Shivakrupa Hospital before Dr B R Ambedkar Circle. From the circle, 7-metre wide two-lane roads would move up to till after Hosur Circle, and a similar road will connect Vijayapur Road, near Desai Cross. A ramp from Bhagat Singh Circle near Hosur Circle will join the flyover near K H Patil statue, said sources.