Shiradi Ghat bottleneck: Delays plague Mangaluru-Bengaluru road traffic

Mangaluru: The highway segment from Maranahalli to Sakleshpur has become a major obstacle to smooth traffic flow on the Shiradi Ghat, connecting Mangaluru and Bengaluru. While the concrete road extends from Addahole in Dakshina Kannada district to Maranahalli in Hassan district, the 15 km stretch from Maranahalli to Sakleshpur remains incomplete.

Project Status

The decision to lay a concrete road from Anemahal in Sakleshpur to Heggadde in Maranahalli was made 4-5 years ago. However, only a few meters have been concreted sporadically, leaving the rest as tar road.

This road, which sees thousands of vehicles daily, is narrow and dangerous in places. Work has not commenced in areas like Donigal and Kappalli, while the hillside is being cut at Kesanagahalli.

Small bridges along the route pose a risk of halting traffic entirely if any damage occurs.

Hazardous Hills

The maintenance of the few meters of concrete road between Maranahalli and Sakleshpur is inadequate. Landslides have occurred in some places, and there is a risk of further landslides. Additionally, hillsides have been cut, leading to soil erosion in some areas.

Landslide Concerns on Shiradi Ghat

Concrete work on the Shiradi Ghat road was completed in two phases: 13 km in 2015 and another 13 km in 2018. Retaining wall construction is ongoing at potential landslide sites along the road, but some dangerous spots remain.

Urgent Completion Directive

Hassan District Deputy Commissioner Sathyabhama C. said “Due to the slow progress of the Maranahalli-Sakleshpur highway work, several meetings have been held to expedite the project. It has been decided to complete the work by May next year. Measures will be taken to ensure this deadline is met.”

Similarly, Praveen, Project Director, NHAI-Hassan said that delays in the project were due to several reasons. “Contractors have now been given a deadline of May 31, 2025, to complete the work. The work will proceed accordingly,” he added.

Translated from a Kannada article by Dinesh Ira