The cabinet Tuesday gave its nod to a Rs.588-crore road project in Karnataka under which a 150 km stretch on the Kerala border-Kollegal section will be widened.

 

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for two/four laning with Paved Side Shoulders (PSS) of the Kerala Border-Kollegal section of National Highway-212 in Karnataka under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase IV, on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (BOT/DBFOT) basis in build-operate-transfer (BOT) (toll) mode of delivery.

 

 "The cost is estimated to be Rs.588.49 crore including the cost of Rs.65 crore towards land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities. The total length of the road will be approximately 150 km," a statement said.

 

 The project will expedite improvement of infrastructure in Karnataka and also reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between the Kerala Border – Kollegal. 

 

 NH-212 connects Kozhikode in Kerala to Kollegal in Karnataka and passes through important towns of Gundlupet, Nanjangad, Mysore and T-Narsasipur in Karnataka. Development of this stretch will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region of Karnataka. It will also increase employment potential for local labourers, the statement said.