A review meeting to identify major hurdles in expediting the greenfield highway to Madikeri branching off from Paschimavahini near Srirangapatna, was held here on Saturday
The greenfield project – which is parallel to the existing highway from Mysuru to Kushalnagar - is being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a cost of nearly ₹3,823 crore and has a new alignment bypassing major towns.
The review meeting was attended by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Deve Gowda and others and Mr. Simha said that the lessons learnt in the ongoing works of Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway have come inhandy to avoid certain pitfalls.
He said even if the tenders for the project are awarded, the works cannot commence until 80 per cent of the land acquisition process is complete. Though the acquisition process was underway and compensation was also being disbursed, there were certain permits and clearances required from different agencies besides shifting of civic amenities that lie in the alignment of the proposed highway. The issue of paying compensation to land awarded as grants to Scheduled Tribes, also needs to be settled.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru Bagadi Goutham and revenue officials from Mysuru, Hunsur and Periyapatana taluks, Deputy Directors of Land Records etc. Mr. Goutham instructed the officials to obtain the clearance from CESC, Irrigation Department, Forest Department, KPTCL etc., and comply with the requirements for the highway construction within a month.
The telephone and power poles have to be shifted while suitable compensation has to be fixed for land acquired from farmers. High tension wire which criss-cross the highway alignment have to be shifted for which both CESC and KPTCL has to be brought into the loop, said Mr. Simha.
‘’The clearances from various departments have to be obtained within a month and such review meetings will take place periodically to assess the progress’’, he added.
The project has been divided into three packages and under the first package, the road starts at Madikeri from General Thimmaiah Circle and ends at the beginning of the Kushalnagar bypass after Anekadu forest. The total length of this package is 22.70 km.
The second package commences from Guddeshosur after Anekadu forest and ends at the junction of State Highway 86 Ramanathapura-Terkanambhi Road. The total length of the second package is 45.4 km.
The third package starts at Ramanathapura-Terakanambi Road Junction and ends near Paschimavahini and the total length of the package is 46.935 km. It bypasses Hunsur, Bilikere, Elavala and Mysuru before ending at Paschimavahini.
The project envisages the new highway to be linked with the ongoing Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway near Srirangapatna and will provide a four-lane connectivity to Madikeri. Cities and towns including Mysuru, Hunsur, Periyapatna, Kushalnagar and Suntikoppa will be bypassed and will reduce the traveling time from Bengaluru to Madikeri besides providing for greater safety as the tolled road will be four-laned with paved shoulder and divider, according to NHAI.
