BELLARY: It has been an endless wait for the residents of Sandur, an erstwhile princely State, to get a bypass to the town, which will give them relief from dust and noise pollution caused by the movement of hundreds of lorries transporting iron ore.

A Rs. 18.50-crore proposal to build the 16.23-km bypass has been approved. Even tenders have been finalised with a New Delhi-based agency being chosen to take up the work under the build, operate and transfer basis. Although the process was completed a year ago, work is yet to begin as the authorities concerned are yet to acquire land.

Sandur, a valley, is known for its iron ore, which is in demand in the domestic and international market. Mining is on in full swing to meet the demand. As a result, the movement of lorries has increased drastically along with the level of pollution and accident rate.

Unable to tolerate the dust and noise pollution, residents of the area launched an agitation to draw the attention of the authorities to their plight.

Sigh of relief

They heaved a sigh of relief when the bypass was sanctioned. But their happiness was short-lived as the work is yet to begin.

Official sources told The Hindu that work on the bypass is expected to start at a location before Dharmapur on the Kudligi-Sandur road and end near Bhujanganagar at NMDC Cross. Another link has to be opened near Doulatpur on the Sandur-Hospet road to enable the lorries to go to Hospet. A total of 153 acres of land, including 50 acres of government land, has been identified for acquisition.

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