The Government of India is set to invest Rs1,449bn ($22bn) in various road projects in the state of Karnataka over the next two years.

This week, the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari is set to lay the foundation stone for more than 500km of highways projects valuing around Rs37bn ($570m) in the state.

These projects will be carried out in the districts of Shimoga, Bellary, Bijapur, Bidar and Hubli.

The minister noted that between 2014 and 2017, 6,805km of national highways have been announced in Karnataka compared to 6,760km prior to 2014.

With this addition, the total length of national highways in the state improved to 13,565km, which includes 6,433km projects declared in principle.

Gadkari said that there are 105 ongoing projects in the state amounting to 2,795km, while another 19 projects measuring 230km will soon be awarded to the contractors.

“Under the $22bn investment programme, widening projects of national highways measuring 6,433km will be undertaken.”

He also mentioned that 34 projects measuring 4,000km and costing Rs250bn ($3.85bn) have already been tendered and detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared for 34 additional projects.

Under the $22bn investment programme, widening projects of national highways measuring 6,433km will be undertaken.

The programme also includes 41 project works under the Bharatmala programme, 99 projects currently under progress, as well as 25 other road works that will be awarded soon.

The ministry has also identified other important projects, including the Bangalore Ring Road (STRR), Shiradi Ghat Tunnel, Ring Road to Belgaum, Chennai- Bangalore Expressway, Amaravati – Bengaluru section, Hyderabad – Bangalore section, Bharat Mala and Sethu Bharatam in Karnataka.

The list also includes the six lanes of Access Control of Bangalore – Mysore Section of Bangalore – Mallapuram economic corridor.