Gadkari launches NH 75 widening project, promises to start Shiradi tunnel road soon

Mangaluru, Mar 28: Work on the tunnel road through Shirady Ghat could begin as early as November this year and be completed in two years. "The detailed project report for this project is being prepared. If the state government readies the report and gives it to the ministry of road transport and highways by June, the work on the project will be taken up latest by December," said Nitin Gadkari, Union minister for road transport and highways (MoRTH).

Laying the foundation stone for the widening of 141 km of NH 75 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,358 crore and dedicating the completed project of his ministry at JNC Hall of NMPT on Monday, Gadkari said the 18.5-km tunnel road through Shirady Ghat will give a boost to the port connectivity and will bring New Mangalore Port on the west coast and Chennai Port on the east coast closer. It will also increase port and hinterland activities in and around the Mangaluru port.

Putting the onus on the public works department of the state government for the early submission of the project report, Gadkari said the tunnel road project will have six tunnels, longest of which is around 2.5 km. It will also have seven major bridges, with the longest bridge running to a length of 1.5 km.

"I know it is essential for the region," Gadkari said adding the ministry will accord top priority to it.

Union minister for law D V Sadananda Gowda and minister for public works and inland water ways H C Mahadevappa earlier had made a strong pitch with Gadkari to take up this project at the earliest.

Sadananda Gowda said that the project which is estimated to cost Rs 10,000 crore should be taken up at the earliest for it will give a great boost to the port to port connectivity. This project has its importance given that NMP is the only major port in the state, he added.

Mahadevappa said the PWD department will complete the report in two months and the tunnel once it is developed will be the country's first eco-friendly road tunnel. Construction of this tunnel will help develop New Mangalore Port and Chennai Port. This in turn is expected to generate a revenue to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore annually.