Shiradi Ghat to Close for 4 Months for Reconstruction Work

Shiradi Ghat to Close for 4 Months for Reconstruction Work

Mangaluru: This is like a never ending story- where every now and then Shiradi Ghat, the busiest Ghat section is closed for repairs. Now once again starting October 15, 2016, the National Highways division of the State Public Works Department (PWD) has tentatively planned to take up Shiradi Ghat reconstruction Package 2 on National Highway 75 (Mangaluru-Bengaluru) from October 15 (depending on the rainy weather), and will be closed for all kinds of vehicular traffic for at least four months. This would put motorists and travelers in all kind of inconveniences who frequently take this route.

According to PWD, the ghat road stretch would be closed for all kinds of traffic entailing vehicles plying between southern coastal Karnataka and the hinterland, including Bengaluru, to take a detour. If it does not rain in the ghat section, the work would start on October 15. The work has been assigned to GVR Infra Projects Ltd, who are the contractors for this project- It is learnt that the contractor has stored about 50 percent of the material required to execute the work, the official said. Though the contractor was given the work order in November last, the work did not start as the contractor was unable to store the material in the required quantities.

As per PWD officials, Package 2 of reconstruction involves the construction of the concrete road for 13 km between Kempu Hole Guest House and Adda Hole near Gundya at a cost of Rs 85 crore and laying a fresh bitumen road for 21 km between Gulagale and Heggadde at a cost of Rs 33 crore. Package 1 involving the construction of the concrete road for 13 km between Heggadde and Kempu Hole Guest House was completed between January and August 2015. Two concrete paver machines-dry lean concrete (DLC) and pavement quality concrete (PQC), are yet to arrive at the project site. While the DLC paver is held up at the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border near Hosur, the PQC paver has to come from Hyderabad. Both machines are expected to be at the site by October 15.

Sources reveal that no one-way movement of vehicles would be allowed during the reconstruction period – the road would have to be completely closed for vehicular movement to maintain the standards. Due to this vehicle between Mangaluru and Bengaluru would have to ply via Charmadi Ghat, Sampaje Ghat (Mangaluru-Mysuru Road) and other alternative routes. Bullet tankers transporting LPG would have to be routed via Honnavar-Shivamogga.

So get ready for yet another nightmare traveling through alternative roads to reach your destination, due to the closure of Shiradi Ghat happening soon.