Kundapur: Former MP, Jayaprakash Hegde said that in-principle approval has been given for widening of the underpass being built at Basrur Murukai here to enable even bigger vehicles to negotiate it without problem. Underpass work at this spot is already in progress.
Hegde visited the site of the underpass in the company of project director of National Highways Authority of India. He noted that the current underpass is 7.5 metres wide and five metres in height and hence multi axle buses, bullet tankers, and fire trucks cannot enter the highway through this underpass.
"There is a proposal to convert Shivamogga-Kundapur state highway into national highway. Therefore, because of this underpass, connectivity between the town and Shivamogga should not be cut off in future, and there is a need to ensure that increase in vehicular traffic does not pose problems," requested representatives of Engineers Association and Nagarika Samiti. Officials of Navayuga Infra, which is executing the road work, said that getting sanction for change in the plan and design will take about a year.
The locals told the officials and Navayuga representatives that if they cannot provide underpass of enough width, it would be better to arrange for level crossing as otherwise the underpass will fail to serve the purpose.
