Bengaluru: Following my recent interactions with the Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, The Hon’ble Minister for Railways, Sri Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, I have taken up the matter of the ongoing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) being prepared by the National Highways Authority of India and the Indian Railways for the Shiradi Ghat stretch.
While both departments are independently working on proposals—one for the road network and the other for a new railway alignment with improved gradient—I have conveyed to the concerned Ministers and the Secretary, the need for a combined DPR that integrates both road and railway development in this ecologically sensitive and strategically important corridor.
I believe a joint DPR will ensure better alignment, efficient use of resources, reduced ecological impact, and more coordinated planning.
Hence, I request your kind intervention and facilitation in the preparation of an integrated DPR by both agencies. Your involvement in coordinating with the relevant departments and extending support to the central agencies will go a long way in achieving a more cohesive and sustainable infrastructure solution for the Shiradi Ghat stretch, a crucial link connecting Mangalore and Bengaluru.