Light vehicles to be allowed on Shiradi, Sampaje Ghats

Public Works Department Minister H D Revanna on Saturday said the Shiradi Ghat stretch on Bengaluru-Mangaluru National Highway and the Jodupala stretch on Mangaluru-Madikeri Road (Sampaje Ghat) will be opened for light vehicles in ten days.

At a press conference here, Revanna said landslides were reported in several locations on the roads due to heavy downpour. It was difficult to take up restoration work. But the repair work of the roads is in progress, he said.

He said light vehicles will be allowed to ply on the stretches only if Dakshina Kannada, Hassan deputy commissioners and PWD officials certify them to be fit. There are plans to allow mini tempos transporting vegetables, cars, two-wheelers and KSRTC Volvo buses. At least six months are needed to allow heavy vehicles, he said.

Revanna charged that some powerful people in the district are involved in land scams. They have obtained land from the KIADB and have sold it to others. “There were also attempts to appropriate the land reserved for IIT,” he said.