Karnataka seeks Rs 250 crore for Charmadi Ghat road

Bengaluru: The state government has appealed to Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to give a Rs 250-crore facelift to the Charmadi ghat, and  improve the NH 48 between Bengaluru and Hassan. In memorandums to the Minister, it has also demanded the building of a bridge across the Sharavathi backwaters to help people reach the Sigandur temple near Sagar in Shivamogga district.

Noting that the Charmadi ghat links  Dakshina Kannada district and the hinterland to other parts of the state and is part of the National Highway between Mangaluru and Villupuram, it said it needed repairs running into crores. Focusing on development of highways around Hassan district, the state has also urged the Centre to upgrade the  bypass near Chennarayapattana to four lane and build two grade separators at two important junctions here.

Observing that  the toll road between Nelamangala and Hassan had not only triggered tremendous development, but also increased fatal accidents due to lack of service roads, the government has called for developing a two-lane service road on either side of it. It said the Centre needed to approve the stretches from Bilikere to Yedegondanahalli and Belur to Hassan, in view of  the growing tourism and agro- based industries in the region.

Noting that  the Union government had decided to upgrade the state highway between Bilikere near Mysuru and Beluru in Hassan district, that passes through K R Nagar and Holenarasipura, the state pleaded for an elevated 5-km ring road around Hassan city and upgrading of the Channarayapattana-Holenarasipura-Arkalgu-Kodlipet-Madikeri national highway.