Karnataka govt seeks a boring solution to the Shiradi Ghat problem

Is there light at the end of the tunnel for people travelling on the treacherous Shiradi Ghat road between Bangalore and Mangalore? It seems so, as the government is seeking Japanese expertise to make the bone-rattling drive a smooth affair by boring a tunnel through the hilly terrain of Sakaleshpura.

A high-level delegation, led by large and medium industries minister Murugesh Nirani, which held road shows in Japan’s capital Tokyo recently to woo investors for the forthcoming Global Investors Meet, held talks with several Japanese companies with expertise in road and other infrastructure projects. Some of the Japanese companies have expressed interest in improving the ghat (hilly) stretch of the highway passing through Hassan district.

The proposals discussed included boring a tunnel near Sakaleshpura, Hassan district, which would help in reducing the 360 km distance between Bangalore and Mangalore by 30km and travel time by about 2 hours.

Japan International Construction Company has been chosen as the technical consultant for the proposed project.

Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda and chief secretary SV Ranganath will hold further talks before finalising the project details, Nirani said on Thursday.