Rs 10,000 crore tunnel project of 23.6 km on Shiradi Ghat approved Sat, Dec 19 2020 04:53:51 PM Pics: Spoorthi Ullal With Inputs from Our Special Correspondent Mangaluru, Dec 19: Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nithin Gadkari on Saturday December 19 said that the department of Road Transport and Highways has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for tunnel construction on Shiradi Ghat with a length of 23.63 kilometre at tentative cost of Rs 10,000 crore. He was speaking during the foundation stone laying and dedication to the nation of 33 National Highways Projects worth Rs 10,904 crore covering 1,197 kilometres, through video conferencing. "Construction of a tunnel on Shiradi Ghat is one of the important projects pending. After assuming the office as a minister, I am pursuing it. There were a lot of complications due to the Forest Act. It is also an important project for the development of Karnataka. DPR is being approved after the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) report. The project consists of six tunnels with length 12.60 kilometres and a bridge of 1.5 kilometre with highest sphere of hundred meters. The tunnel consists of two driving lanes with one emergency lane of 8.58 meters.