Gurpura bridge to be ready by Feb-end: Kateel

The new bridge across River Phalguni at Gurpura is likely to be completed by the end of February 2020.

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel spoke to reporters after inspecting the ongoing work on the bridge on Saturday.

“The bridge is built at a cost of Rs 39.420 crore. It is 175 metres long and 16 metres wide, while the carriageway is 11 metres wide. The pedestrian paths on both sides of the bridge will be 2.5 metres wide each. The connecting road will be 500 metres long on both sides to the bridge,” he listed out.

The old Gurpura bridge was one of the oldest bridges, built in 1923 across River Phalguni on the Nanthoor – Moodbidri – Karkala National Highway 169, connecting Mangaluru. Motorists had expressed apprehension over the strength of the old bridge.

Land acquisition

The MP said that notification for land acquisition for four-laning of Kulashekar – Sanooru in Karkala on NH 169, covering a distance of 36 km, has been issued. After the land acquisition, tender will be floated for the work, which has been entrusted to NHAI Mangaluru Project Director.

“As a part of the B C Road – Poonjalkatte road-widening work, the six-km work has been completed. The work is taken up at a cost of Rs 98.32 crore. Work on about 65 culverts and four minor bridges will be taken up as a part of the project,” he added.

“A detailed project report for the two-lane road work from Poonjalkatte to Charmadi has been prepared at a cost of Rs 225 crore and sent to the Centre for approval. In the third phase, the widening of the road from Charmadi to Kottigehara will be taken up. The DPR has been prepared for Rs 200 crore and has been submitted to the government for approval,” explained Kateel.

Under the Periodic Renewal of Roads, the Centre has released Rs 25 crore for Maani – Mysuru Road, Rs 10 crore for the Kulashekar – Karkala Road and Rs 20 crore for Poonjalkatte – Charmadi stretch, for the asphalting of the existing stretch.

Work in monsoon

To a query on delay in completing four-laning of the B C Road – Addahole on NH 75, the MP said that the contractor Larson and Toubro has promised to complete the work of culverts and other minor works during monsoon.

“The NHAI and L&T have promised to maintain the existing road during monsoon. The work will be carried out as per the old design without including the works on the three flyovers at Kalladka, Maani and Uppinangady,” the MP stated.

Further, he said that, during last monsoon, hillocks had caved in at a few locations. “As a result, now, the NHAI has to acquire additional land for widening purpose. The preliminary notification for the acquisition of the land has been issued. The work will accelerate after the monsoon,” he promised.

The detailed project report of the Mangalore bypass – Mulki – Kateel – B C Road – Konaje - Talapady Road has been approved by the Central government and land acquisition will be taken up shortly, to take up the work, Kateel added.