The never ending four-laning of Kundapur-Goa Highway

• 4 years have passed since the work began

Kundapur: If on one side, Navayuga Company has repeatedly delayed the four laning work along NH 66 from Talapady to Kundapur for eight years, on the other hand, the four laning work of the 189 km stretch between Kundapur and Goa taken by IRB Infrastructure is progressing at the pace of a tortoise.

Rs 1,655 crore work

The tender for the work from Sangam in Kundapur to the border of Goa was given to IRB Infrastructure at the cost of Rs 1,655 crore in 2014. Though delay in land acquisition was considered to be the reason, the process of land acquisition has mostly been completed and yet, the work has failed to gather pace.

At most places up until Goa’s border, not even a two-lane road exists. Even then, a toll gate is being constructed at Shiroor. Though the road at the scenic Maravanthe region, with the river on one side and the sea on the other has been converted into the four-lane road, it has not yet been opened for vehicular movement.

Delay in relief

Rs 308 crore was dedicated for the 65 hectares of land acquisition for the four laning work. It is being said that the land acquisition process of land is in action. Amidst this, the contractor of IRB Infrastructure’s Honnavar land acquisition office is facing a staff shortage and hence there is a delay in providing the relief to the affected.

People’s cry

IRB has failed to respond to the demand for opening its regional office in Kundapur. We are compelled to leave our work at Kundapur, travel to Honnavar only to come back with empty hands, complain a few of the affected. Earlier, Navayuga Company had opened its office at Kundapur for the road work.

 95% completed

“It is true that due to the lack of staff, there was a delay in providing the relief to the affected. But as of now up to 95% of the total relief has been distributed. A few cases are in the court. The cases that remain are the ones where in, a single property has many owners and there is a delay in procuring their GPA. Action is being taken to acquire it quickly,” said Maruti Naik, Land Acquisition Process Officer, Honnavar.

Article by Lakshmi Machhina translated to English by Aaron Dmello