Chief minister Siddaramaiah called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi on Thursday. This is Siddaramaiah’s first meeting with the PM after he was sworn-in as chief minister in May.
Siddaramaiah presented Modi with a garland and a statue of an elephant carrying an ‘ambari’ (howdah) made of sandalwood. The chief minister’s office said it was a courtesy call as the CM had not met the PM after assuming office.
During his meeting with Gadkari, Union ministers for road transport and highways, Siddaramaiah stressed the need to provide entry and exits at bypasses connecting towns along the newly commissioned Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. He also urged Gadkari to facilitate roadside amenities along the highway.
Pointing to the huge number of accidents on the highway, Siddara maiah urged Gadkari to direct National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to take measures to avoid accidents. Some 135 people have died in road accidents since the highway was opened for motorists seven months ago.
The minister promised to send a team of officials and experts to inspect the highway and take remedial measures to avoid accidents.
Siddaramaiah also requested Gadkari to approve a proposal to widen NH-212 which connects Kerala-Karnataka border to Kollegal via Gundlupet, Nanjangud and Mysuru and NH-98 stretch between Kanakapura to Tamil Nadu border via Malavalli.
Siddaramaiah also sought speedy sanction for funds and other road infrastructure proposals. These include construction of a 26km tunnel road from Maranahalli to Addahole on Shiradi Ghat section on NH 48, release of Rs 250 crore grants under flood damage repairs programme and release of Rs 1,000 crore under the central road infrastructure funds for improvement of state roads and major district roads.