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• The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned over INR 11.6 crore for two underpass projects on NH-66 in Mangaluru.
• Around INR 7.1 crore has been approved for a light vehicular underpass at the accident-prone Baikampady Junction.
• Another INR 4.5 crore has been cleared for an underpass near KIOCL Junction and Kulur Bridge to improve traffic flow towards Tannirbhavi and MSEZ.
• The projects are aimed at reducing congestion, improving road safety and supporting industrial and port-related traffic movement in Dakshina Kannada.
• The approvals come after port-area roads in the region were transferred to NHAI to speed up infrastructure development works.
The Centre has sanctioned more than INR 11.6 crore for the construction of underpasses at Baikampady and Kulur junctions on National Highway-66 in Mangaluru, a move expected to improve traffic flow and road safety in Dakshina Kannada district. Advertisement
The approval was granted by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for two separate underpass projects on the busy NH-66 corridor. Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta said the projects would help address long-standing traffic congestion and accident concerns at key junctions in the city.
Out of the total sanctioned amount, nearly INR 7.1 crore has been allocated for a light vehicular underpass at Baikampady Junction. The junction is considered one of the accident-prone stretches on the highway because of heavy industrial traffic and increasing vehicle movement towards the Baikampady industrial area.
The proposed underpass is expected to provide safer access for vehicles entering and exiting the industrial zone while reducing traffic interruptions on the Mangaluru-Udupi highway stretch. The junction has witnessed congestion issues for several years due to the movement of container trucks, commercial vehicles and daily commuters.
In another approval, the ministry sanctioned close to INR 4.5 crore for an underpass near the KIOCL Junction and Kulur Bridge on NH-66. The project is aimed at easing congestion for vehicles travelling towards Tannirbhavi Beach, New Mangalore Port-linked areas and the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ).
Traffic movement around Kulur and the port region has increased significantly in recent years because of industrial activity, logistics operations and cargo transportation. Local commuters and transport operators have repeatedly raised concerns over delays and traffic bottlenecks on the stretch.
Chowta said the projects gained momentum after technical and administrative issues related to the port-area roads were resolved. He stated that the roads in the NMPT region were earlier under National Highways Logistics Management Limited, which slowed down development activities due to funding and coordination challenges.
He further said the transfer of these roads to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) helped clear pending infrastructure proposals and improve execution planning for highway projects in the region.
The NH-66 corridor in coastal Karnataka has been undergoing multiple upgrades over the past few years, including road widening, bridge development and junction improvement works. However, traffic congestion near industrial clusters and port-connected routes in Mangaluru has remained a major concern because of rising commercial movement and urban growth.
The two underpass projects are expected to improve daily commuting conditions, support industrial transport connectivity and reduce accident risks on some of the busiest stretches of NH-66 in Dakshina Kannada.
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