The tiny town of Agumbe in Karnataka where vehicular traffic from about three districts converge and move towards their destinations, is getting a bypass road to offer seamless movement of vehicles between Udupi and Shivamogga.
The National Highways Division of Karnataka Public Works Department (NH-PWD) that is widening Malpe-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A has undertaken construction of the bypass in Agumbe as a part of Agumbe-Megaravalli highway widening project.
The 17-km NH 169A between these two small towns is being widened into two-lanes with paved shoulders at an estimated cost of ₹64 crore.
NH-PWD is already widening NH 169A between Malpe and Hebri in Udupi district into four lanes, work of which is in advanced stages. Widening of Megaravalli-Tirthahalli (14.6 km) stretch of the highway to two lanes with paved shoulders is already done.
Work on widening the Tirthahalli-Shivamogga stretch of Mangaluru-Solapur NH 169 however is yet to commence in full swing for want of forest clearances in some stretches though the NH-PWD has commenced preparatory works in the clear stretches, said a senior engineer concerned.
