The state government has taken up the development of 7,200 km roads under the State Highway Development Project through the Public Works Department. In the first phase, 3,400 km road will be developed, for which `1,300 crore tenders have been floated, said PWD Minister C M Udasi.
He told reporters on Sunday that all these are major roads connecting districts and the taluk headquarters to the district headquarters.
Similarly, under the Karnataka State Highways Infrastructure Project (KSHIP), 14 road projects worth `3,200 crore have been taken up, of which 1,540 km would be of superior quality. The tender process has been finalised and work would commence soon.
The World Bank has extended loan for these projects, he informed. During the last four years, the state government has spent `7,000 crore for repair, upgradation and asphalting of 17,000 km roads, which is a historic achievement, he said.
Mantralayam Bridge
A steel bridge weighing 3,000 tonnes built on Tungabhadra river near Mantralayam at a cost of Rs 43. 15 crore would be dedicated to the nation on September 10. The pre-fabricated bridge built between July 12, 2010 and August 31, 2012 is strong and will have a life span of 50 years, he said.
District Roads
Ten per cent of the state highways have been damaged due to plying of heavy vehicles. The major district roads are designed to accommodate vehicles carrying only 16 tonnes, but at present trucks are carrying much more. The Highway Authority has been instructed to improve the strength for major district roads, he added.
Toll Roads
The state government has identified 10 major state highways to convert them to toll roads. The matter would come up for clearance before the Cabinet soon. Once it get acceptance, the re-carpeting of the roads worth Rs 560 crore would be taken up, he said. Toll operators would be allowed to collect toll for nine years and the road maintenance would be their responsibility for the five years, through which the government would get a revenue of `620 crore, he said.
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