Theformer Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has said that roads in Hubballi-Dharwad are being developed and upgraded at a total cost of ₹400 crore sanctioned under the Central Road Fund (CRF).
He was dedicating a concrete road from Sarvodaya Circle in Keshwapur to railway underbridge on Gadag Road in Hubballi developed under CRF to the public on Thursday.
He said that under CRF, a ₹50 crore project to develop the road stretch from the railway underbridge connecting Keshwapur, Bengeri, Gopanakoppa and Sainagar has been initiated. “Already, a good quality concrete road has been laid from the railway underbridge to Sarvodaya Circle, pavers have been installed by the road side and pavement has been constructed on either side.I held a meeting of various government agencies to ensure better coordination during the execution of the work, following which the road work has been completed expeditiously,” he said.
Mr. Shettar said that the project to extend 24 x 7 water supply facility to all wards of Hubballi-Dharwad has been sanctioned and the work will be initiated after the completion of survey work by the construction company L&T.
He said that because of the pandemic, development works have been delayed and in the next six months, Hubballi-Dharwad will be transformed into beautiful twin cities. The officials have been strictly directed to expedite the works, he said and appealed to the public to cooperate with the administration as the road works will cause inconvenience to them for some time.
To a query, he clarified that instructions have been given to save trees while executing the road works.
Bhoomi Puja
Subsequently, Mr. Shettar performed bhoomi puja for the second phase of the ₹ 50 crore road work from Keshwapur to Bengeri near Ramesh Bhavan. On the occasion, he dedicated to the public the new concrete road developed under the same project at Badami Nagar.
He also initiated a concrete road work from Barakotri to Bhavani Nagar Durga Bakery. The work is being executed by Nirmiti Kendra under funds from the Minority Welfare Department.
HDUDA Chairman Nagesh Kalburgi, the former Mayor Viranna Savadi, HDMC councilors Santosh Chavan, Uma Mukund, Meenakshi Vantmuri, Beerappa Khandekar and HDMC PRO S.B. Bevoor and others were present.
Earlier, as Mr. Shettar arrived for the inauguration of the road, schoolchildren welcomed him with flowers and Christian religious heads thanked him for the work.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rajat Ullagaddimath said that because of Mr. Shettar’s programme, schoolchildren were forced to stand in the sunlight for an hour and motorists were forced to undergo hardships as the road was closed for the sake of inauguration.