Six-laning, ten-laning works on NH to begin soon: CM

Bengaluru: The state government would soon commence work on six-laning of national highways in Bengaluru, Chitradurga, Mangaluru, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Ramanagaram and Tumakuru districts informed Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Chairing a meeting with officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Energy, PWD and Revenue departments, Kumaraswamy directed the officials of the concerned departments to speed up the process and obtain the requisite clearances for the acquisition of revenue and forest lands, shifting of power lines and poles at the earliest.

Nearly 3,460 km stretch of national highways, out of the 7,756 km of national highway in the state would be upgraded into six-lane roads. “The state government has earmarked a sum of Rs 8000 crore towards land acquisition for the purpose. NHAI will extend financial assistance towards the project,” he said adding that the project had been delayed due to the Forest Act.

Apart from this work on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, which is being upgraded into a 10-lane expressway at an estimated cost of Rs 7,000 crore would begin from October-end, he informed.

Overall the government was spending about Rs 36,000 crore on work on 50 national highway (NH) projects, he added.