PWD invites tenders for works worth Rs. 400 crore

Mysore/Mysuru: In a major boost to city’s infrastructure, the Public Works Department (PWD) will soon take up works on white topping (concrete) of 12 arterial roads stretching up to 46.9 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 400 crore.

This follows the decision taken during Special Cabinet Meeting of the State Government, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Male Mahadeshwara Hills (M.M. Hills) in Hanur taluk, Chamarajanagar district in April this year. 

During the approval for white topping project, the Cabinet had set aside grants of Rs. 393.4 crore. Accordingly, the PWD officials had prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Rs. 400 crore and submitted the proposal to the Government.

As announced earlier, the PWD has invited tenders for converting the existing 46.9-km long major roads in the city into concrete roads.

The tender bids will be opened soon and the bidder fulfilling technical specifications will be considered while awarding the tender. Subsequently, financial approval will be taken for Rs. 400 crore, before issuing the Work Order to the contractor.

The 12 roads to be white topped are as follows: KRS Road – from H.C. Dasappa Circle to Hotel Royal Inn junction; West Gate of Mysore Palace towards Ramavilas Road and Ekalavya Circle in front of Crawford Hall; Bogadi Main Road from Kukkarahalli Lake junction to Bogadi Outer Ring Road (ORR)  junction; Irwin Road – Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Circle in front of Railway Station to KSRTC Sub-urban Bus Stand; JLB Road – Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Circle in front of Railway Station to Nanjangud Road junction via Elethota Road; Fountain Circle to Government Guest House junction; Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road till Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle (Hardinge Circle); JLB Road junction to Srirampura ORR junction via Manandavadi Road and Chatrimara junction to Shantaveri Gopalgowda Circle near  Nazarbad Police Station.

Why white topping?

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, a PWD official said, “Once these roads are converted into concrete, they last for about 25 to 30 years, without any need for frequent repair works. The works will be taken up with utmost precaution, without damaging concrete box drain, street lights and drinking water pipeline network.”

It may be mentioned that during the first tenure of Siddaramaiah as CM, between 2018 and 2023,  some of  the road stretches namely Chamaraja Double Road, from Ramaswamy Circle to Gun House junction and part of B-N Road up to Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle; Albert Victor Road – Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle to K.R. Circle and Sayyaji Rao Road; K.R. Circle to circle in front of LIC Divisional Office, Bannimantap via Highway Circle (Abul Kalam Azad Circle), were upgraded to concrete roads. It has been eight years since the works were completed, but they still remain strong, without any ounce of complaints against the quality of works.