Strengthen national highway on Shiradi Ghat: FKCCI

Mangalore, November 11: Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) demanded that the stretch on Shiradi Ghat between Sakaleshpur and Mangalore has to be strengthened on the lines of Golden Quadrilateral Triangle.

FKCCI president J R Bangera said that considering economic importance of the region and safety of passengers and vehicles, the road has to be strengthened on a war footing basis.

Mangalore is the only major port in the state and majority of the export/import is dependent on this port. However, due to bad roads, accessibility to port has become very difficult. Shiradi Ghat witnesses heavy truck movement which has caused severe damage to the highway.

"Bad condition of the roads result in heavy maintenance expenditure for vehicles, be it cars, trucks or buses. Large number of tourists, who use the road, have a nightmarish drive due to the pathetic condition of the stretch," he explained.

"It's high time the state and central governments took note of the road's bad condition at Shiradi and take initiative to develop it and boost the economic growth in the region," he said, adding that it's essential for the development of hinterland too.

Bangera demanded that the highway between Mysore and Mangalore should also be developed soon.

"The state highway connecting Mysore and Mangalore plays an important role in the economic development of both regions. This road is used for goods' movement to the Mangalore port and tourists too commute on this route. The 40-km-long stretch between Mani and Sampaje on this route is not motorable due to potholes. This causes severe loss of revenue to Dakshina Kannada district, especially in the areas of tourism, trade and industry," he said, and demanded that the government should fix a time frame to complete the work.

Bangera pointed out that the government should take the issue very seriously as Global Investors Meet is scheduled to be held in June, 2012.

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Why Mangaluru Could Become India’s Next Offshore Wind Energy Hub

News Network

February 3,2026

Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta has urged the Centre to give high priority to offshore wind energy generation along the Mangaluru coast, citing its strategic importance to India’s green energy and port-led development goals.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377, Chowta said studies by the National Institute of Oceanography have identified the Mangaluru coastline as part of India’s promising offshore wind ‘Zone-2’, covering nearly 6,490 sq km. He noted that the region’s relatively low exposure to cyclones and earthquakes makes it suitable for long-term offshore wind projects and called for its development as a dedicated offshore wind energy zone.

Highlighting the role of New Mangalore Port, Chowta said its modern infrastructure, multiple berths and heavy cargo-handling capacity position it well as a logistics hub for transporting and assembling large wind energy equipment.

He also pointed to the presence of major industrial units such as MRPL, OMPL, UPCL and the Mangaluru SEZ, which could serve as direct buyers of green power through power purchase agreements, improving project viability and speeding up execution.

With Karnataka’s peak power demand crossing 18,000 MW in early 2025, Chowta stressed the need to diversify renewable energy sources. He added that offshore wind projects in the Arabian Sea are strategically safer compared to the cyclone-prone Bay of Bengal.

Calling the project vital to India’s target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, Chowta urged the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to initiate resource assessments, pilot projects and stakeholder consultations at the earliest.

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