MP demands greenfield expressway between Talapady in DK and Karwar in UK

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Member of Parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary emphasized the need to build a highway along the coast of Karnataka as the existing Kanniyakumari-Panvel National Highway 66 has become quite congested.

The proposed expressway between Talapady on the Kerala-Karnataka border in Dakshina Kannada district and Karwar in Uttara Kannada district may run along the Mangaluru-Mumbai railway line, the MP told the Lok Sabha on December 18.

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has urged the Central Government to construct a greenfield expressway along the Mangaluru-Mumbai railway line between Talapady in Dakshina Kannada district and Karwar in Uttara Kannada district. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Mr. Poojary, who raised the issue under Rule 377 (Business Procedure and Conduct Rules) of the Lok Sabha, said traffic congestion is constantly increasing on NH 66 on the coast of Karnataka.

Even though the highway was made four-lane between Talapady and Karwar under different packages, it could not handle the increasing traffic volume. As a result, road accidents and deaths on the National Highway were also increasing. The member argued that if greenfield highway is constructed between Talapady and Karwar, it can significantly reduce the load on the existing four-lane highway and also ensure uninterrupted travel for uninterrupted traffic.

Toll on NH 66 at Talapady. Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary told the Lok Sabha that the existing four-lane Kanniyakumari-Panvel NH 66 is clogged. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Mr. Poojary said the greenfield highway has the potential to boost tourism in the interior parts of coastal Karnataka. The proposed highway could usher in a new era of economic development from Mangaluru to Goa, the MP said.

The road was expanded with two packages

NH 66 along the Karnataka coast has been widened to four lanes under two packages – Talapady-Kundapura (90 km) and Kundapura-Goa border (187 km), excluding Nanthoor-Surathkal area. Toll collection on the Talapady-Kundapura section started in 2016, and toll collection on the Kundapura-Goa border section started in 2023.

Of the 187 km of NH 66 on the Kundapura-Goa border section, 173 km stretch has been made four-lane and balance areas at Bhatkal, Honnavar and Kumta are yet to be completed.

The six-lane NH 66 is at Talapady on the Karnataka-Kerala border. The six-lane work of Kanniyakumari-Panvel National Highway 66, carried out by the National Highways Authority of India between Talapady and Thiruvananthapuram, is almost completed in Kerala. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

The widening of NH 66 between Talapady and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to six lanes is almost complete. The proposed greenfield expressway is expected to complement Kerala’s six-lane NH 66 highway and offer seamless travel from Thiruvananthapuram to the Goa border.