Shiradi Ghat phase II: work may start only end 2016

Mangalore Today News Network

 Shiradi Ghat , Oct 8, 2016: According to news sources,  work on second phase of Shiradi Ghat stretch, which is pending for the last one year, is likely to start either in the last week of December or in the first week of January 2017. The work on the stretch would be taken up by the National Highways division of the state PWD, Public Works Department. It is said that the delay in the procurement of machinery for the work has delayed the work. Only the concrete mixing machine has arrived at the site now. 

Package 2 of reconstruction work on the stretch comprises construction of a concrete road for 12.38 km between Kempu Hole Guest House and Adda Hole near Gundya at a cost of Rs 63.10 crore and asphaltation of road for 21 km between Gulagale and Heggadde at a cost of Rs 22.18 crore. There are 50 small drains and 13 small bridges on the stretch which needs to be reconstructed.

The work order was given in November 2015 to the contractor --- GVR Infra Projects Ltd --- the work failed to start as the contractor was unable to store the materials required for the work. Meanwhile, the contractor has given sub contract to Sooryodaya Construction, Bengaluru. The sub contractor has procured about 50% of the materials sand, iron and other raw materials required for the laying of the road at Gundya Addahole.

The package 1 of the work comprised construction of concrete road for 13 km between Heggadde and Kempu Hole Guest House and completed between January and August 2015. During the inauguration of the first phase of the work, Public Works Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa had promised to take up the second phase either in September 2015 or soon after the monsoon season.

The contractor who had brought a huge concrete paver machine to the work site in January had taken back the machinery for the work on Javagal-Banavara Road. A senior official in NH division of PWD from Bengaluru said that initially it was planned to take up the work from October 15.

“However, owing to rainfall, the work is likely to be delayed. In fact, no final decision is taken on the commencement of the second phase of the work. As per the tender agreement, the contractor has to complete the work by June 2017,” the official said.

Sooryodaya Construction (Bengaluru) Project Manager Ramji said the Shiradi Ghat road would have to be closed down for the work. However, Dharmasthala-Gundya-Subrahmanya Road would be closed at the end of the package 2 to complete the work.

In case the Shiradi Ghat stretch is closed to facilitate the work, then vehicles between Mangaluru and Bengaluru would have to ply via Charmadi Ghat, Sampaje Ghat and Bisile Ghat. Bullet tankers transporting LPG will have to be routed via Honnavar-Shivamogga Road.

Drains :  The work on eight drains out of 50 drains from Kempuhole to Addahole, started in last January, has remained incomplete.

Now, the work on the drains has been restarted on the stretch. The condition of remaining 42 drains has remained the same.

In addition, there are five bridges, including the one at Kempuhole and Barchinahalla and eight minor bridges on the stretch, where the work on widening is yet to commence. This makes one wonder about the early commencement of the work.

The rumour on closure of the Shiradi Ghat stretch from October 15 has created confusion in the minds of the road users. But a visit to the site where the work was supposed to commence gives a look of lack of preparations for the work.

Malnad Janahitha Rakshana Vedike Convener Kishor Shiradi said, “The work on package 2 of reconstruction of Shiradi Ghat should have been started in September 2015. The materials required for the work have not been stored.In this background, the work may take at least three years to complete.”