Slush pools disapper, yet potholes and craters along Punjalakatte-Charmadi stretch of NH 73 irk road users

Road users regret slow pace of highway widening work while demanding a motorable alternative road during work execution

Those driving regularly between Mangaluru and Dharmasthala and surrounding areas via Mangaluru-Tumakuru National Highway 73 regret the continued pathetic condition of the highway between Punjalakatte and Charmadi that is under widening to two-lane.

“Though the road condition has considerably improved, from the slushy and slippery stretches to pothole and crater-ridden stretches, the work progress is yet to pick up pace,” said Jayakrishna, who often drives through the stretch to Chikkamagaluru.

He said the contractor and the National Highways Division of the Karnataka Public Works Department that was executing the project should have given a motorable road during the execution of the project. However, even the existing carriageway has worn out in many places, let alone the stretches excavated for the construction of the new carriageway.

Consequently, one would take at least two and a half hours to drive the 70 km distance from Mangaluru to temple town Dharmasthala, said Naresh, another regular commuter on the stretch. The stretch between Guruvayanakere and Ujire, where the highway would be made four-lane with service roads, has become worst, he rued.

April 2025 deadline

A senior PWD engineer said the original deadline for completion was April 2025 which might get extended by another six months because of heavy rains and difficult work terrain.

He said after the contract was informally handed over to M/s Mugrodi Constructions in August this year, the pace of work has picked up. A major bridge at Mundaje was almost complete while two other major bridges at Belthangady and Punjalakatte were nearing completion. Work on 12 cross-drains too was nearing completion.

The engineer further said unpredictable rains have affected bitumen laying work as the crushed stones should remain dry before being mixed with bitumen at the bitumen plants.

Will be speeded up

Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta who facilitated the informal change in contract from M/s D.P. Jain to M/s Mugrodi following the latter’s failure to execute the work, exuded confidence in the early completion of the project.

Instead of executing the project stretch by stretch, the earlier contractor had opened up the entire stretch at many places thereby affecting the work progress. This also had led to formation of slush pools at many places during this Monsoon. The slush pools issue has been addressed now, he said.

Started in 2022

M/s Jain had bagged the contract for ₹390 crore as against the estimate of ₹520 crore in 2022; but was unable to execute the project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the work on June 20, 2022, to widen NH 73 into two lanes with a paved shoulder between Punjalakatte and Charmadi. The total cost of the project was pegged at ₹718 crore, including land acquisition.

Published - November 17, 2024 02:10 pm IST