News Brief
Arjun Brij
Jul 15, 2025, 10:54 AM | Updated 10:54 AM IST
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Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday (14 July) inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for nine National Highway projects across Karnataka covering 88 km, representing an investment exceeding Rs 2,000 crore.
The ceremony, held in Sagara Town, Shivamogga, saw the presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, MPs, MLAs, and senior government officials.
A highlight of the day was the inauguration of Karnataka’s longest cable-stayed bridge across the Sharavathi backwaters, expected to dramatically improve connectivity between the Malnad interior and Karnataka’s coastal regions.
The bridge will also ease-up travel for devotees heading to renowned pilgrimage destinations such as the Sigandur Chowdeshwari and Kollur Mookambika temples.
Another significant development is the expansion of the Bidar–Humnabad stretch along NH-367, spanning 47 km, which promises to cut travel time between Kalaburagi and Bidar districts, thus easing local commuting and freight movement.
Meanwhile, crucial restoration works on the Shiradi Ghat segment of NH-75 are set to guarantee safe, consistent traffic flow even during the challenging monsoon period, ensuring smoother passage on the important Mangaluru–Bengaluru route.
Connectivity between Kalaburagi and Raichur is poised for an upgrade through the construction of a Road Over Bridge at Shahabad and a new bridge across the Kagina River on NH-50.
Further enhancing regional mobility, road safety measures on the Bengaluru–Mysuru Access-Controlled Expressway are anticipated to deliver faster and more secure travel between Karnataka and Kerala, along with lower fuel costs and reduced journey times.
Arjun Brij is an Editorial Associate at Swarajya. He tweets at @arjun_brij