Mangalore: Nanthoor Jn to get Rs 50 crore underpass

 

Mangalore, 26 Jun 2014: Traffic woes at the Nanthoor Junction where two National Highways criss-cross along with traffic coming from inside the city would soon be mitigated once the proposal for the Rs 58 crore underpass gets clearance from the Union Ministry of Transport and Highways.

 

 

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Mangalore office Project Director Shriram Mishra on Thursday informed Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel that the over pass has received "in principle" approval in February this year.

 

Though Gurudutt Kamath, Inspector, Mangalore City Traffic Police, suggested NHAI to modify the circle to ease flow of traffic , Mishra replied in the negative saying it would require approval from the Delhi office. But when Kamath suggested it as a temporary modification till underpass is in place, Mishra said he would look into it.

 

At the meeting called by the MP to discuss problems on the 37 km Port Connectivity Road stretch, all expressed their discontent over the road design which allowed pooling of water at the medians at many places causing accidents, lack of service roads, and other shortcomings like rain gutters which made lives of those living close to NH a nightmare.

 

The NHAI officials said all those problems were under their radar and funds have been sought to widen service roads and also four lane Moodabidri Road.

 

To complaints about traffic gridlock at BC Road junction, Mishra said once the Road over Bridge (ROB) gets competed in three months time, things would ease. MP Kateel suggested that a small circle be erected at the Junction where buses from Chikmagalur, Dharmasthala routes joined NH at BC Road- which was the major choke-point.

 

Kumar Kateel said that he will meet Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at New Delhi in the first week of July to take up sanction funds for the projects as sought by Mangalore Office of NHA.