Sun Nov 10 01:39:00 UTC 2024: ## Charmadi Ghat Highway to Get Major Upgrade: ₹343.74 Crore Released for Widening
**Mangaluru, November 10, 2024:** The Union government has allocated ₹343.74 crore for upgrading 11.2 kilometers of National Highway 73 on the Charmadi Ghat, transforming it into a two-lane highway. This announcement was made by Dakshina Kannada MP, Capt. Brijesh Chowta.
The project, covering the stretch from 75 km to 86.2 km on the ghat, which passes through Dakshina Kannada, will begin soon. The remaining 18 kilometers of the total 29.2 km ghat stretch falls under Chikkamagaluru district.
A contractor has already been chosen for the project. Shivaprasad Ajila, Executive Engineer of the Mangaluru division of National Highways under the Public Works Department, confirmed that the widened highway will boast a 10-meter carriageway, compared to the current 5-meter width.
This project marks another step in the ongoing expansion of NH 73. The highway has already been widened from B.C. Road to Punjalkatte and is currently being widened from Punjalkatte to Charmadi. Once completed, the widened 11.2 km stretch on the ghat will connect B.C. Road all the way to the border of Dakshina Kannada on the ghat, creating a continuous two-lane highway.
Capt. Chowta highlighted the significance of the project, stating that the widened ghat stretch will facilitate smooth movement of traffic and goods between the coastal belt and hinterlands, fostering commercial growth in the region.
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