“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.
