Captain Brijesh Chowta Secures Centre’s Nod for Joint Survey on Integrated Rail & Road Tunnel at Shiradi Ghat

Mangalore: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved the constitution of a Joint Working Group (JWG) comprising officials from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Ministry of Railways, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to assess the feasibility of an integrated Rail and Road Tunnel along the Shiradi Ghat stretch between Mangalore and Bangalore.

This major development follows the relentless efforts and continuous pursuit of, Dakshina Kannada M.P, Captain Brijesh Chowta, who has been consistently engaging with the Ministry to resolve the longstanding connectivity bottlenecks along this crucial corridor linking the Coastal city with the Capital city.

On 5th July 2025, Captain Chowta had written to Hon’ble Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari and Shri Umashankar, IAS, Secretary, MoRTH, requesting the constitution of an expert committee to undertake a joint survey of the Shiradi Ghat stretch in coordination with the Ministry of Railways and to oversee the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR). Highlighting the ecological sensitivity and engineering complexity of the Western Ghats, Captain had emphasized that a joint, expert-led approach would ensure optimal alignment, sustainability, and long-term resilience of the project.

Subsequently, during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Captain Chowta met with the Hon’ble Minister and the Secretary in New Delhi to personally pursue the matter. Acting upon these representations, the Hon’ble Minister has now approved the formation of the Joint Working Group, which will assess the integrated alignment and tunneling feasibility to ensure faster, safer, and all-weather connectivity between Mangalore and Bangalore.

This move is a crucial step towards realizing the proposed Mangalore–Bangalore High-Speed Corridor, for which the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is already underway and is expected to be completed soon. The coordination between MoRTH, Railways, and NHAI through the newly formed JWG will help ensure seamless integration and effective alignment of both projects.

Expressing gratitude to the Hon’ble Minister, Captain Chowta stated that this decision would usher in a new era of connectivity-led development for Dakshina Kannada and the entire coastal belt, advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat.