Recently, the road widening process of NH-66 led to the death of several young birds whose nests were destroyed when the trees were chopped down in an unscientific manner. This incident occurred on the stretch of national highway between Kundapur town and Honnavar. Read more on this

Here is a glimpse of the condition of these highways’ condition, that has left commuters thoroughly hassled.

Mangalore to Udupi

From Kapu to Udupi, the road is very narrow.  Commuters opined that several patches of the road are cratered and uneven, while the road from Mangalore to Kapu is in a comparatively better shape.

Udupi to Kundapur

“The national highway connecting Udupi to Kundapur is in the worst condition, a lot of potholes making commuters’ back rigid and painful. Henceforth for back and neck support we have to use cushions in our cars, also the drainage is not well maintained consequently in monsoon water gets back on the roads,” asserts Sumit Suvarna to News Karnataka, a regular commuter to this route.

Many national highways are still incomplete, with construction going on at various stretches, which is a manageable for commuters, but makes unwieldy to commuters is the lorries that carrying construction material.

“Lorries carrying construction material are not secured properly, and tend to drop jelly stones, sand and other construction material on the road, which is both dangerous and annoying for commuters,” Suvarna pointed out.

Shri Ram Mishra, project Director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) asserts that the Kundapur to Byndoor, pothole work is complete. Agreeing on the patchy roads, he avers, “From Udupi to Kundapur the road has a rough surface but there are less potholes.”

Mangalore to Kasargod

Darshan Manjunath, a second year student of Mangalore University, and a frequent  commuter on this national highway 66, that connects the city to Kasargod, rues the fact, that it is sickening and painstaking to drive, because of the high level of deterioration of the roads which causes the traffic to move at a snail’s pace and causes severe backaches.”

This highway is a prime route which connects the city to four big educational institutes, and also to another state. Today however, it is in a very pathetic condition.

In the middle of this Mishra also confirms, “Kundapur to Talapady, the work has started, and may complete in June next year, else it will extend for two more years,  due to the agency’s financial problem,” adds Mishra.

On asking why such agencies are hired, Mishra replied News Karnataka, that when they were hired, they were financially sound.

Talking about pothole filling work, Mishra claimed that from Mangalore to Talapady, pothole filling has been done. However, in monsoon whatever filling is done, remains only for a short period of time and if done post monsoon, it is expected to stay longer.

Mangalore to Solapur NH 13 via Karkala

The road connecting Moodbidri to Karkala, on National highway 13, is as narrow and unpleasant stretch as Kapu to Udupi. In fact it is more like a state highway than a national highway.

 “We have started land acquisition for the Mangalore-Moodbidri-Karkala road stretch. Further we will build a four lane road from Mangalore to Moodbidri and a two lane road from Moodbidri to Karkala, the project is ready and pending in the ministry for approval,” Mishra said.

Shiradi Ghat stretch of the Mangalore- Bangalore Highway

The Shiradi ghat road stretch on NH48, which connects Mangalore to state capital Bangalore, will be closed for vehicular movement for six months starting from December 1, as it’s in for major refurbishment.

“Every year Shiradi Ghat gets refurbished and every year it gets damaged because of the heavy rains; as tar does not stay for long on such roads. Also earlier Oscar Fernandes, the former Union minister, had declared that an under-ground tunnel would be constructed, yet nothing has been done,” added Suvarna who traversed the route recently.

Shiradi ghat tunnel project will require around Rs. 3,000 crore, as the road is to be broadened and concretized during the period from December onwards.

Asked about the sharp turns on some highways, Mishra explains that the ghat section is a mountainous terrain; hence a straight road will not be a convenient option.

When asked about the reasons for the bad conditions of the roads, which are worsening every year, post monsoon, he points out that there are two modes of drainage, surface drainage and sub-surface drainage. Usually, he said, the tar road only fails when the road drainage is not constructed properly. This key issue must be addressed.