Bengaluru,  Union Minister for National Highways and Road Transport, Nitin Gadkari, has approved a Rs 1200 crore project to upgrade the existing 2-lane Shiradi Ghat road into a 4-lane highway.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would take up the project and complete it in two years, Gadkari said on Thursday.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has assured full cooperation and speedy approvals for implementing the project, a press note from the CM's office stated.

The Shiradi Ghat road needs immediate upgradation. The road is usually in pitiable condition during the monsoon season.

Once the upgradation work is complete, the entire stretch of highway between Bengaluru and Mangaluru would become a 4-lane road, accelerating the economic growth of the region.

The Union minister has also instructed the NHAI to study a proposal to build a 6-lane tunnel through the Shiradi Ghat.