“By 2024, you will see highways in Karnataka on a par with the highways in the United States,” was the declaration by the longest serving Union Road Transport Minister of India, Nitin Gadkari, who is in office since May 26, 2014. He made this promise in Mangaluru on February 22, 2022. He was speaking after laying the foundation for the second time for the NH 75 four-lane project between B.C. Road and Adda Hole in Dakshina Kannada district as the old contractor had left and new contractors came in.
Many incomplete projects
With 2023 coming to an end, paving the way for 2024, none of the ongoing National Highway widening into four-lane projects in Karnataka, including Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75 between B.C. Road and Adda Hole in Dakshina Kannada and from Maranahalli to Sakleshpur in Hassan district, Mangaluru-Solapur NH 169 between Bikarnakatatte in Mangaluru and Sanur in Karkala, Udupi district, Tumakuru-Shivamogga NH 206 -- to mention a few -- have reached a logical end. Limping on for many years, the projects have brought only more misery to road users as well as residents of the areas concerned.
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While it is common to witness National highway projects in Karnataka making tardy progress, those in neighbouring Kerala appear to be on a fast-track, both being executed by the same National Highways Authority of India under the Union Road Transport Ministry headed by Mr. Gadkari. Before the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government assumed office in Karnataka, there was the much-touted “double engine” government in Karnataka, as claimed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders in Karnataka. Yet, the project progress has been extremely poor. Kerala, however, has always had the government from opposition parties during the decade-old NDA regime, and yet, projects were on fast track in God’s Own Country.
Foundation stone in 2016
The Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway 75 (old No. 48) has been a crucial link not just because it linked the State Capital with the coastal commercial hub Mangaluru, but also because it connected most parts of Karnataka with State’s only major port, New Mangalore Port. While the 185 km Bengaluru (Nelamangala)-Hassan Stretch of NH 75 was made four-lane in November 2013 itself, the remaining stretch between Hassan and B.C. Road, excluding the Shiradi Ghat, is yet to be made four-lane even after a decade.
The NHAI decided to widen the Hassan-B.C. Road stretch of NH 75 under two packages, Hassan-Maranahalli and Adda Hole-B.C. Road. Mr. Gadkari laid the first foundation stone for the project in 2016, while work commencement letters to selected contractors were issued in 2017. M/s Isollux Corson was awarded the contract for the 45 km stretch between Hassan and Maranahalli in Hassan district at a cost of ₹ 400 crore on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode with a two years deadline for completion. M/s Larsen and Tubro was awarded the Addahole and B.C. Road (66 km) stretch contract at a cost of about ₹821 crore under EPC mode in Dakshina Kannada district, also with a two years deadline. The 21-km Shiradi Ghat in between these two stretches was excluded as the Ghat was concreted with a uniform width of 8 mtrs.
Comes to a halt
Things being so, widening work in both the packages came to a halt within about one and a half years for different reasons. While M/s Isolux declared insolvency, M/s L & T issued a contract foreclosure letter by 2018-end. Issues regarding land acquisition, forest clearance, non-availability of crushed stone, addition of vehicular under/ over passes etc., forced L & T to walk out of the contract.
The NHAI took a good one year to finalise new contractors for the works. It further split the Adda Hole-B.C. Road package into two, 15 km Adda Hole-Periyashanthi (Dharmasthala Cross) and 48 km Periyashanthi-B.C. Road. While the first package was awarded to M/s Autade Engineering at an estimated cost of ₹ 400 crore, the second one was awarded to M/s KNR Constructions at a cost of ₹ 1,100 crore. The cost was almost double the original cost awarded to L & T. The Hassan-Maranahalli stretch was awarded to M/s Rajkamal Builders, who was the subcontractor of M/s Isolux, at a cost of ₹538 crore (initially ₹400 crore). All these were awarded in the year 2021.
All the three new packages too have missed new deadlines of completing the work within two years. As a result, residents and businessmen in the area suffered dust during non-Monsoon season and slush during the Monsoon. Letters of commencement were issued to contractors in around November 2021 while according to NHAI’s own admission, the work progress has been around 60%.
Residents’ lament
While the NHAI releases the funds to contractors depending upon the work progress under the EPC mode, residents lament that the contractors have deployed insufficient men and machinery at worksites causing abnormal delays. The Kalladka town between B.C. Road and Mani, famous for Kalladka Tea, has been at the receiving end for two years with slush and dust filled service roads while the NHAI was building the 1.2 km six-lane elevated bypass (flyover) inside the town. The town was now witnessing frequent traffic jams as the service roads were made just a single-lane while the road portion below the flyover construction was barricaded for safety reasons. Even after two years, the contractor was yet to launch flyover girders while pillar construction was almost complete in this town.
The situation at Mani Junction where Bantwal-Mysuru NH 275 branches out towards Mysuru via Puttur and Sullia has improved to an extent, but the stretch between Mani and Uppinangady and further till Nellyadi continues to remain treacherous. The contractor was yet to complete hill cutting and road formation at Narahari Parvatha incline and decline between Melkar and Kalladka, thereby slowing down vehicular movement. Between Gadiyara and Uppinangady too, tardy work progress has been affecting vehicular movement as well as inconveniencing people in the region.
Near the temple town
Area around Kadaba Cross after Uppinangady, where SH 113 branches out towards temple town Kukke Subrahmanya, looks like a war zone with heaps of soil spread for road formation. Continuous vehicular movement on the NH constantly creates dust clouds when it shines and causes slush puddles when it rains, said Gopal Poojari, a resident of Uppinangady. Further up towards Hassan, Nellyadi town too resembles a war zone while residents and businessmen were opposing construction of a vehicular overpass. The residents say the approach embankment for the VoP has completely divided the town for about 1 km thereby affecting pedestrian movement. They have been demanding construction of a flyover in the town instead.
The situation is no different between Nellyadi and Adda Hole with half complete works affecting vehicular movement. Even after two years, the contractor was unable to cut hillside rocks at Udane where the highway abuts the Gundya River. Driving becomes nightmarish, particularly during nights, with frequent encounters with incomplete road stretches, diversions, absence of proper signage, etc., regretted a KSRTC driver who did not wish to be identified.
Work progress has almost been Nil between Maranahalli and Sakleshpur in Hassan district while it has witnessed good progress between Sakleshpur and Hassan. Yet, the Sakleshhpur bypass appeared half done while that of Ballupet bypass was almost complete.
Accelerate work, say residents
Gopal Pandurang Pai, a resident of Kalladka, said one could not expect early completion of the project, which might take at least another two years, if the contractors continue the work at the present pace. Only accelerated work by deploying men and machinery at multiple locations could ensure early completion. With huge assets at its disposal, it was not difficult for the NHAI to expedite the work, Mr. Pai said, adding only the political will could get the work speeded up.
