Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 11: The tender process for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the ambitious high-speed express corridor project between Bengaluru and Mangaluru has been completed by the ministry of road transport and highways, and the work of preparing the DPR will begin shortly, said Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta.
According to him, a letter has been received from union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, confirming that the contract for the DPR was awarded on April 30. The report is expected to be completed within 18 months.
This ambitious project is expected to significantly contribute to the overall development of Dakshina Kannada district, especially in enhancing commercial activities. If all stages of the project proceed as anticipated, the construction of the expressway could begin soon.
The high-speed expressway will have between four and eight lanes and will pass through Hassan. This corridor is expected to enhance transport infrastructure between the two major cities, easing traffic congestion and upgrading connectivity.
Once completed, the travel time between Mangaluru and Bengaluru, currently around 7–8 hours, will be drastically reduced. The corridor will offer safe, efficient, and all-weather connectivity between key cities in Karnataka. It will also boost the operations of the Mangaluru port and promote tourism, trade, and commercial activities. The DPR will consider widening the existing route and straightening it with bypasses where necessary.
MP Chowta also mentioned that several rounds of discussions have already been held regarding this project with union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari, union home minister Amit Shah, ministry secretary Uma Shankar, and Karnataka chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh, among other officials and ministers. He affirmed that every possible effort is being made to implement the project.
The railways department is also preparing a DPR to construct a separate railway line through Shiradi Ghat. Given that the Shiradi Ghat region lies within an ecologically sensitive area of the Western Ghats, a proposal has been submitted to form a joint committee of the Railway Board and the National Highways Authority to explore the feasibility of developing parallel road and rail corridors.
MP Chowta noted that an integrated project plan would simplify obtaining approvals from the forest and environment departments, ensuring smoother execution.