Mangaluru: District in-charge minister B. Ramanath Rai on Monday confirmed that the concrete work of 13-km stretch in the Shiradi Ghat will be completed in six months. However, the minister was not sure whether concreting of the entire 26-km stretch would be completed before the monsoon. The delay will certainly put the public in trouble.

Speaking to the reporters here in the city, the minister said that the 13-km stretch of the Ghat between Heggade from Sakaleshpur side and Kempuhole guest house would be concretized even before six months deadline and there is no question of delay, he added, taking a jibe at Sullia MLA S. Angara (BJP), after he stated that there would be delay in the works.

Mr. Rai said, “Though the tender conditions offered 18 months’ time to the contractor to complete the work on the 13-km stretch of Shiradi Ghat, the government was persuading him to complete before monsoon.”

However, Mr. Rai was not sure about the completion of the second phase of concretization work on the Shiradi Ghat stretch. “The contract for the second phase will be awarded after January 27 and the completion of the plan will be once the contractor finalizes the plan”, he told the reporters.

He further said the then Union government, with the help of Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes, had cleared the proposal of concreting the 26-km Ghat stretch and reconstructing another 21 km between Gulagale and Heggade in May, tenders for the 13-km concrete road and 21-km road are yet to be awarded.

(Photo: The Hindu)