BENGALURU/BELAGAVI: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has assured Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi of sending a team of experts and officials to inspect highways crisscrossing the state to resolve issues.
Siddaramaiah and Jarkiholi met Gadkari in New Delhi and apprised him of the problems related to highways in the state, especially the Bengaluru-Mysuru restricted access highway. The CM requested Gadkari to provide entry and exit of bypasses and to facilitate roadside amenities on the highway. The leaders discussed preventive measures for accidents on highways and the construction of a tunnel at Shiradi Ghat.
Recently, Jarkiholi met Gadkari in New Delhi in connection with the implementation of several PWD projects in the state, particularly the tunnel at Shiradi Ghat. Jarkiholi has expressed confidence that Gadkari would help the state overcome the problems related to the highways.
Besides, Gadkari was requested to enhance the sanctions of National Highway Original Works to Rs 10,000 crore under the Annual Plan 2023-24 and to release Rs 1,000 crore in grants under Central Road Infrastructure Funds (CRIF) in the current financial year for the improvement of state roads and major district roads. Siddaramaiah requested the Union minister to enhance the grant under Maintenance & Repairs (M&R) to Rs 50 crore and release Rs 250 crore grants under Flood Damage Repairs (FDR).
The CM also discussed widening the NH-766 connecting Kerala and Karnataka to Kollegala via Gundlupet, Nanjangud and Mysuru, and widening NH-948 connecting Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to Kankapura via Malavalli and Kollegala and requested approval of these projects by NHAI.