MANGALORE: To decongest National Highway 17 running parallel to seacoast in three districts of Karnataka, the Department of Fisheries plans to construct a two-lane 397-km long concrete road from Talapady in Dakshina Kannada to Karwar in Uttara Kannada.

The project is estimated to cost Rs. 800 crore. The existing fisheries road in these districts will be widened and upgraded as part of the project.

Minister for Fisheries, Endowment and Dakshina Kannada district in charge B. Nagaraj Shetty said that the department initially maintained the fisheries road. It was subsequently handed over to the respective zilla panchayats for maintenance. However, the panchayats had since handed over the maintenance to the department since they did not have funds for the work, he said and added that the situation demanded a long-term action plan.

He was speaking at a review meeting of government departments of Dakshina Kannada district here on Saturday.

Replying to the Minister's query, Executive Engineer of Ports and Fisheries division, Udupi, B. Gopal Naik said the proposed two-lane concrete road was the solution to the problem. Of the proposed 397-km road, 61 km would be in Dakshina Kannada, 196 km in Udupi and 144 km in Uttara Kannada, he said.

The road would join NH 17 at river intersections enroute to do away with the need to construct bridges, he said.

Bharatlal Meena, in-charge secretary of Dakshina Kannada, stressed the need to set out a road map for development of infrastructure in the district.

The Public Works Department is planning to construct five arterial rings roads in various parts of the district to ease congestion along the national highways. The department is also working on improving inter-State road connectivity between Karnataka and Kerala.

B.S. Balakrishna, Executive Engineer, National Highways division, said the technical bids for four-laning National Highway 48 between Hassan and Bantwal would be opened shortly.

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