Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa and other ministers launched the 3rd phase of the state highways development project at an estimated cost of Rs 3,500 crore on Thursday, September 22.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahadevappa said that in the coming one year the State will cover 11,000 km of highways along with the already existing 6,000 km of state highways. “Tenders will be called in November for upgradation of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Road into a National Highway. Bengaluru-Mysuru highway will be a ten-lane road, including service road. We will be the only state to have 10,000 km National Highways,” he said.

Social Welfare Minister Anjaneya urged PWD officials to plant saplings on either side of highways.

Mahadevappa who presented Sir M Visvesvaraya awards to PWD engineers on the occasion also informed that the Bidar-Chamarajnagar road, which will cover 706 km, will be the 2nd longest National Highway in India, and work on it will start soon.