NHAI floats tender for ₹1,788-cr road contract

The National Highway Authority has floated tender for 4-laning of BC Road and Gundya-Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway, entailing an investment of ₹1,788.62 crore. The 63-km long stretch is a crucial link passing through towns and patches of forests. In the first phase, 14.567 km of road from Addahole to Periyashanti will be constructed at a cost of ₹322.64 crore while the second phase from Periyashanti to BC Road, a 45-km stretch, will be taken up later and an elevated highway will also come up over Kalladka town. The tunnelling project at Shiradi Ghat will be taken up soon. Union transport minister informed that the three road projects for improving the safety by providing protective measures on Hill slopes in Shiradi Ghat on NH-75, Charmadi Ghat on NH-73 and Sampaje Ghat on NH-275 amounting to ₹115 crore have been sanctioned. According to NHAI, the Ghat tunnel would be 23.60-km long and the project cost is estimated to be ₹10,000 crore. There would be a series of six tunnels, which will be connected with bridges while the longest bridge on the Shiradi Ghat stretch would be 1.50- km-long and the tallest pier supporting one of the bridges would be at a height of 100 metres. It would be a two-lane tunnel with 10.50 m carriageway and an emergency lane.