Elevated express highway likely to be delayed: Union Minister

Bangalore, Jun 21 (UNI) India's first 9.5 km elevated express highway project, connecting the Silk Board junction with the Electronic City here, is likely to be delayed for commissioning by six months, Union Minister of State for Surface Transport and Highways K H Muniyappa said here.

Speaking to newspersons, after reviewing the progress of the Rs 700 crore project in the outskirts of the city today, he said the heavy traffic and hurdles in moving and shifting the utilities have caused the delay. The much awaited country's first elevated highway project was likely to be opened by February 2009, he added.

The Minister, who also reviewed the progress of the development and maintenance of National Highways in Karantaka, said the Mumbai-Chennai via Bangalore, Golden Quadrilateral work was expected to complete by January 2009.

He said the work in the stretch between Haveri-Hubli, Tumkur Bypass was delayed due to legal constraints and NHAI authorities had entrusted the execution of work to different agencies.

He also said so as to ensure faster connectivity with New Bangalore International Airport, the upgradation of Hebbal-BIAL section of NH seven was being taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 450 crore. The request for pre-qualification had been invited for this project, he said.

He said the Chitradurga-Shimoga (111 km), Shimoga-Mangalore (188 km) and Gunglupet-Mysore-Kollegal (114 km) stretches had been identified for improvement under National Highway Development Project (NHDP) under Phase IV A.

The Minister said for the current year, 73 works under Central Road Fund of Rs 174.93 crore and five works under economic importance and 19 works under interstate connectivity scheme of Rs 376.5 crore have also been submitted to the Ministry.

UNI MV PDT NS1645