The Union Ministry of Surface Transport has given its nod to upgrade seven State Highways (SHs) to National Highways (NHs) covering a total distance of 1,668.03 km, PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa said on Tuesday.
He said the decision was taken by the Centre on March 4 and steps have been taken to entrust the works to agencies. This stretch is the lengthiest network of roads brought under the NHs in one stroke for the last six decades in the state, he said.
He said the Centre would spend about `3,100 crore to develop the proposed NH, starting from its junction with NH-75 Bantwal connecting Puttur, Sulia, Madikeri, Periyapatna, Mysore, Srirangapatna, Mandya, Channapatna and Ramanagaram. He said the total cost of land acquisition is expected to be `1,200 crore and about 530 acres is expected to be acquired for the purpose. The minister said the compensation to be paid to land-losers will be given in accordance with the provisions of the new Land Acquisition Act passed recently.
Mahadevappa said the PWD officials had presented a proposal before the National Highway Authority of India at a meeting held in Delhi on Monday, to upgrade the 203 km Tumkur-Shimoga NH from the existing two-lane to four-lane.
The officials also made a strong plea to declare four more SHs — Mysore-Bannur-Malavalli (45 km), Khanapur-Talaguppa-Bhatkal (296 km), Belgaum-Bagalkot-Raichur-Mehboobnagar and Sankeshwar-Gokak-Yaragatti-Jagalur (335 km) as NHs.
He said there is no proposal before the government to introduce Bangalore-Mysore bullet train. He said the route passes through vast tract of irrigated land and hence acquiring land for the project would be difficult.
Which are these highways ?
NH-50 : The highway starting from its junction with new NH-161 in Maharashtra (Nanded Road) connecting Bidar, Humnabad, Gulbarga, Jewargi, Bijapur, Hospet and terminating at NH-48 near Lakshmisagar (260.81 km)
NH-150 A : The highway starting from its junction with new NH-50 at Jewargi connecting Siruguppa, Bellary, Hiriyur, Chikkanayakanahalli, Nagamangala, Srirangapatna, Mysore and Nanjangud and terminating at this junction with NH-948 at Chamarajnagar (618 km)
NH-173 : The highway starting from its junction with new NH-73 near Mudigere connecting Chikmagalur and terminating at new NH-69 near Kadur (72.1 km)
NH-275 : The highway starting from its junction with NH-75 near Bantwal connecting Puttur, Sullia, Madikeri, Pertiyapatna, Mysore, Srirangapatna, Mandya, Ramanagaram and terminating at its junction with new NH-75 near Bangalore (367.46 km)
NH-367 : The highway starting from its junction with NH-67 near Bhanapur connecting Kukunur, Yelburga, Gajendragad, Badami, Guledagudda, Bagalkot and terminating at its junction with new NH-52 near Gadankeri (156.62 km)
NH-150 E : The highway starting from its junction with new NH-50 near Gulbarga connecting Chowdapur, Afzalpur and terminating at its junction with new NH-52 near Solapur (104.8 km)
NH-169 A : The highway starting from its junction with NH-169 near Thirthahali connecting Agumbe, Hebri and terminating at its junction with NH-66 near Udupi (87.6 km)