Union Minister advises K'taka Govt to maintain roads properly

Bangalore, Nov 17 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways K H Muniyappa today exhorted the Karnataka government to ensure strict adherence to rules to prevent overloading of roads, especially the highways, to avoid damages.

Speaking to newsmen here, he said it was the duty of the state government to maintain the roads and the National Highways Authority of India would only take up the widening of highways. Several highways in the state such as NH 33 and NH 13 were severely damaged due to plying of heavy duty vehicles carrying overloads of iron ore and fuel. If the state government was genuinely concerned about the condition of the roads, then it should act stringently against those who allow overloading in their vehicles, he said.

He said the Centre had released Rs 84 crore during 2005-06 for various work proposals sent by the state government and the money had been fully utilised. The state government had spent Rs 75 crore for 2006-07 of which Rs 42 crore had been spent so far. For repairs, the Centre had released Rs 42.6 crore of which the state had spent all the funds and spent Rs 12 crore during 2006-07 as against the released amount of Rs 36 crore, he explained.

He said the Golden Quadrilateral highway project would be completed in the state by the first week of December this year as promised, except in two stretches. The work in these two stretches would be completed in another three months, he assured.

He said in NH 17, between Kundapur and Mangalore, improvement work was in progress under port connectivity programme. Periodic repairs were also sanctioned and the improvement proposal for another 45 kilometres amounting to Rs 11 crore was in the process of approval, he added.

He said the NHAI had also released grants for immediate repairs of roads in the Shiradi ghat section connecting Sakleshpur and Mangalore. Approval for Rs 6.93 crore had already been granted and tenders were invited. Estimates for Rs 9 crore for providing concrete pavement on curves were also in the process of sanction.

Besides, there was also a proposal to cover balance stretch of Shiradi ghat during the current year involving another Rs 10 crore, he added.

UNI SR RS PB MIR HT1642