New Delhi: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has appealed the Union Finance Ministry to grant funds for Mysuru-Kushalangar Highway that is estimated to cost Rs.4,000 crore.

Speaking at the Parliament yesterday, Simha heaped praises on Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who he said was working tirelessly for making India, a country with one of the  best road networks in the entire world.

Pointing out that the Union Government has sanctioned 24 major Highway projects in Karnataka since 2014-15 costing a total of Rs.26,254 crore, he said that the State has got approval for Highway networks covering a distance of 7,652 kms. Works on 499 kms of Highways has been completed at a cost of Rs.18,368 crore  in 2021-22, he added.

Recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mysuru on Feb.19, 2018, had announced that the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway will be converted to a 10-lane Highway at a cost of Rs.6,400 crore, Simha said that the project cost has now been revised at Rs. 9,500 crore.

Thanking Union Minister   Gadkari for sanctioning Mysuru-Kushalnagar Highway, Simha said that the tender for the Rs.4,000 crore project has already been invited and the Union Finance Ministry should give its approval for the project.

Continuing, the MP said that Gadkari has also approved upgradation of 43.5 km long Mysuru  Ring Road, for which Rs.160 crore has been sanctioned. Pointing out that the upgradation will include construction of 7 Over-bridge and Under-bridges, he said he would thank the Union Minister for the sanction.

Stating that  although the works on National Highway-212 that connects Mysuru with Kerala has been completed in 2017 itself, land acquisition compensation of Rs.200 crore is yet to be released, he appealed the Union Government to release pending grants.

Simha also brought to the notice of the Union Minister the incompletion of  concretisation works on 45-km Hassan-Maranahalli road. Maintaining that the contractor backed out of the works as the District Administration had not issued Quarry licence, he urged the Government to look into the matter.

Charging the officials of laxity in the execution of Highway projects, Simha said that only Rs.2,014 crore out of the released Rs.4,277 crore (2021-22) has been utilised so far, which highlights official apathy.