Union minister for National Highways and Road Transport Nitin Gadkari has approved the Rs 1200 crore project to upgrade the existing 2-lane Shiradi Ghat Road into 4-lane highway.

Shiradi Ghat is a major lifeline and link road to the coastal region from Bengaluru and is considered crucial for the development of the entire coastal region as also the Malnad region of Karnataka.

The National Highways Authority of India would take up the project and complete it in 2 years, Gadkari assured.

Once the upgradation is complete, the entire stretch of highway between Bengaluru and Mangaluru would become a 4-lane road. The 4-laning of national highway 75 is set to usher in significant economic benefits for the region.

The 35kms stretch of ghat section on the NH 75 through the Western Ghats connects Mangalore and Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka.

Gadkari has also instructed the NHAI to study the proposal to build a six-lane tunnel through the Shiradi Ghat. The tunnel has been proposed for a distance of 23.6km between Dakshina Kannada and Sakleshpur, connecting Mangaluru with Bengaluru. The proposal has however faced stiff resistance from environmentalists who claim that it will cause destruction of the ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats.

CM Bommai Welcomes Gadkari's Announcement

Welcoming Gadkari's announcement, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has assured full cooperation and speedy approvals for implementing the project.

Once the road upgradation is done, the entire stretch of the National Highway 75, between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, will become a four-lane road. The four-laning of the highway, on the ghat stretch from Marana Halli to Adda Hole, will accelerate the economic growth of the region, the CMO said.

Shiradi Ghat Road

Shiradi Ghat road as be in need of upgradation for years now as it generally gets damaged during the monsoon season and is rendered unmotorable. Very often. landslides leads to blockage of the entire stretch for days together.

The ghat road has 14 hairpin bends