Dakshina Kannada highway expansion received a fresh push on Wednesday with the foundation stone laid for a ₹22.59 crore four-lane road between Brahmashree Narayana Guru Circle and Ganadapadpu in B.C. Road, while another ₹34.53 crore National Highway development project at Punjalakatte was announced as being due to begin shortly.
Member of Parliament Captain Brijesh Chowta said the district was prioritising highway expansion and related works with a 15-year outlook. He was speaking at the foundation-stone ceremony for the B.C. Road project, according to Prajavani.
The B.C. Road project covers the stretch from Brahmashree Narayana Guru Circle to Ganadapadpu. The report identifies the project cost but does not specify its construction timeline, implementing agency or planned completion date. The work is expected to address a long-standing local demand for a wider road through the area.
Chowta also said development work on the Punjalakatte National Highway, estimated at ₹34.53 crore, would begin soon. The announcement adds to a wider set of highway interventions discussed for the district, including the proposed four-laning of the Mani-Sampaje road and service roads along the National Highway between Talapady and Kundapur.
According to the report, a detailed project report has been prepared for the Mani-Sampaje four-lane road, while ₹50 crore has been set aside as maintenance expenditure. The supplied report does not specify whether the amount represents a project-wide allocation, an annual provision or a particular maintenance package.
The proposed works also have implications for toll operations in the region. Chowta said the Brahmarakootlu toll plaza would be closed once the B.C. Road-Bengaluru and Punjalakatte National Highway development works were completed. He said he had already discussed the matter with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways. No closure date or administrative order was cited in the report.
The announcement links road construction with traffic management in Mangaluru city. Chowta said underpasses, flyovers and bypass roads were being considered to control vehicle congestion in the city. The report does not provide locations, project costs, land requirements or implementation timelines for these proposals.
The planned service roads between Talapady and Kundapur are also significant for communities and roadside activity along the National Highway. However, details about the length, design, access points and construction schedule were not provided in the announcement covered by Prajavani.
Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik Ulipad said the B.C. Road project marked progress on a demand that had continued for several years. Legislative Council member Kishore Kumar Botyadi and local party representatives attended the foundation-stone event.
The immediate milestone is the commencement of the B.C. Road project through the foundation-stone ceremony. Further clarity is awaited on construction schedules, contracting arrangements, the Brahmarakootlu toll plaza closure process and the detailed project plans for the additional highway and traffic-management works.
