Charmadi Ghat to be upgraded to two-lane highway with Rs 343.74 Cr central grant: MP Capt. Chowta
Mangaluru (Karnataka), Nov 9: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta on Saturday said the Charmadi Ghat section of National Highway-73, a vital passage through Karnataka’s Western Ghats, is set to undergo a major expansion, widening the route to two lanes with a central allocation of Rs 343.74 crore.
The MP told PTI on Saturday that the 11-kilometre stretch would be expanded, improving connectivity between Mangaluru, Mudigere, and Tumakuru.
With the tender process completed, construction is expected to begin soon, aiming to ease travel for passengers from Karnataka's coastal districts and enhance regional goods transport, a change expected to positively impact local commerce.
Highlighting the strategic importance of this upgrade, Capt. Chowta thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and officials involved in advancing this project, noting its anticipated benefits for the local economy and Karnataka’s connectivity.
"The expansion will not only alleviate traffic bottlenecks along Charmadi Ghat but also transform it into a more dependable transit corridor," he remarked.
According to officials, the project will improve links between coastal regions and upghat areas like Chikkamagaluru and Hassan and for travellers heading toward Bengaluru. The narrow roads in Charmadi Ghat have long created a bottleneck, restricting smooth flow.
However, National Highway authorities have indicated that it remains uncertain whether the upgraded highway will directly aid container shipments, such as coffee and spices, moving through New Mangaluru Port.
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Drug peddler's property worth Rs 1 crore attached in Srinagar
Srinagar (PTI): Property worth Rs 1 crore belonging to a notorious drug peddler was on Saturday attached in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, police said.
A double-storey house on eight marlas of land situated at Wantpora Eidgah, belonging to Basit Bilal Dar, a notorious drug peddler, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, a police spokesperson said.
He said Dar is involved in two cases registered under various sections of the NDPS Act.
During investigation, it was established that the accused had acquired the said property through illicit proceeds generated from drug trafficking activities, the spokesperson said.
Consequently, the property was attached under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The attachment proceedings were conducted in the presence of the two independent witnesses, strictly in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures, he said.
As per the attachment order, the owner has been restrained from selling, leasing, transferring, altering, or creating any third-party interest in the property till further orders, the spokesperson added.
