Copious rains might have brought joy to farmers in the state, but for travelers between Mangalore and Bangalore via Shiradi Ghat, it has brought nothing but misery, with the 37-km stretch between Nelyadi and Kappalli deteriorating yet again.
The rain-damaged stretch may not be repaired till monsoon ceases in mid-September. The delay is also because the government wants performance guarantee for the repair work. Shiradi receives large amounts of rain and no bitumenous tarmac lasts more than one rainy season, contractors say.
The stringent condition seems to have made contractors reluctant to bid for the work. Sources say of the 18 contractors who are eligible for participating in the tendering process, none has bid this year.
Apparently, the bitumenous surface has been damaged not so much due to poor quality of work, but the quality of bitumen.
“We found out that the bitumen used on the stretch was adulterated with oil. After heating and laying the bitumen, the oil settles on the base of the road and removes the first coat of bitumen, loosening the road in patches,” said Anand Shetty, a NH contractor.
Samples were sent to the KREDL for analysis, but there has been no reply, said Shetty.
Chances of the stretch being repaired on a war-footing appear bleak, as the government has already spent Rs150 crore for repairs last time, say Mangalore National Highway division officials. But activists campaigning for relaying the road reject the contention.
“What is Rs150 crore for a public cause when each politician in the state is worth thousands of crores? These politicians can produce that kind of money from the boots of their cars,” said Srinivas Gowda of Sakleshpura, a member of the NH48 Ulisi Andolana of Hassan district.
According to the transport department officials, traffic between Bangalore and Mangalore on NH 48 is so dense that it crosses 10,000 passenger car units (each unit is equivalent to 5 passenger car loads) per day, which has been compared to the eastern express highway between Mumbai and Pune.
Ideally, the Shiradi stretch of the highway should have no less than six lanes, against the existing two. The government is yet to consider the 2008 proposal of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to widen the Shiradi stretch.
On the other hand, the government is considering a proposal to construct tunnels on the critical section of the ghat between Gundya and Kempuholay, a distance of 18 km taking the traffic underground.
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