Shiradi Ghat to be closed from Jan 20; likely to be reopened by May end

coastaldigest.com news network

January 6, 2018

Mangaluru, Jan 6: The Shiradi Ghat stretch of National Highway 75 connecting Bengaluru and Mangaluru will be closed on January 20 to allow the improvement of the 13-km-long road and will be reopened after the completion of the work.

“The work has to be completed before the end of May”, Public Works Department Minister H.C. Mahadevappa told presspersons here on Saturday.

The Minister held a meeting with officers of PWD, senior officers from Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi on the alternative roads.

The improvement of the Shiradi Ghat stretch of NH 75 has been a long standing demand. “The first phase of the project was done at a cost of Rs.70 crore. The first phase covered 13 km. The second phase will cover the remaining 13 km”, he said.

Initially, the contract was given to a firm, which failed to take up the work at the desired speed. “The contract was terminated. Now the firm which executed the project in phase 1 has bagged the phase 2 contract as well. The contractor has procured all equipment necessary for completion of the work in a short period”, the Minister added.

The alternative roads for light and heavy vehicles have been notified. Additional Chief Secretary Lakshminarayan, National Highways Chief Engineer Peshwe and other officers were present.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments