SHIVAMOGGA: The newly-developed state highway from Shivamogga to Hubballi and Dharwad has come as a boon for commuters. Barring a few pending patch works near Udugani of Shikaripura taluk, the 195km stretch is a smooth ride.
The work undertaken by Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project took three years and commuters say it has been worth the wait because the road has now reduced travel time between Shivamogga and Hubballi by almost an hour.
Earlier, it took commuters almost five hours and 30 minutes to travel from Shivamogga to Hubballi via Honalli-Harihara-Ranebennur-Haveri, which is a 221km stretch. Now, people can cover the 195km road via Shikaripura-Anabatti-Hanagal-Tadas Cross in just four and a half hours.
Prakash, a postal department employee, said, “This is for the first time that I took this road to reach Hubballi. The movement of vehicles here is a lot less and there is no toll. If we take the national highway via the Harihara-Haveri route to reach Hubballi, we have to pay at least `200.”
KSRTC depot manager of Shivamogga, Dinesh, told TNIE that six new buses have been introduced. In last 5 months, the Shivamogga depot introduced new bus services - Shivamogga to Hubballi via Shikaripura and Anavatti; Shivamogga to Anavatti; Shivamogga to Hanagal; Shivamogga to Chikkeruru and Shivamogga to Savadatti.