Rs 21 lakh paid, But Tree Cutting Pending: 1.08-km NH 169A Stretch at Shivapura awaits Four-Laning
Prakash Samaga
Coastal Talk News | Hebri
Pending tree cutting works on a 1.08 km forest stretch near Shivapura in Hebri, is delaying the widening of NH 169A to four lanes at this place. This is despite that the highway project between Malpe and Hebri is nearing completion. The NH Division of the State PWD has already deposited Rs 21 lakh with the Forest Department towards tree-felling expenses, but the work is yet to begin.
The stretch near Shivapura is still remaining as a single-lane road, while most of the Malpe–Hebri highway widening project has progressed to the final stages. Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has urged Forest Department officials to take up the tree-cutting work immediately and hand over the cleared stretch to the NH Division of the State PWD to commence National Highway widening. Officials from the NH Division have obtained the required Forest Clearance (FC) and are ready to commence the widening work. However, the project cannot proceed until the trees are removed from the road here.
As per the procedure, the Forest Department will have to cut the trees, transport the felled timber to its depot and subsequently auction it. Although the NH Division has already paid the required amount, tree-felling work by the Hebri Range Forest authorities is still pending, sources informed to Coastal Talk News. The four-laning project between Malpe-Hebri has a completion deadline of December, 2026. Officials and local representatives have expressed concern that further delay in clearing the Shivapura stretch could affect the overall progress of the project. Meanwhile, two other stretches of NH 169A, at Parkala and Perdoor, are also emerging as bottlenecks to the completion of the highway widening project.
