A section of corporate leaders have thrown their weight behind the demand for building a tunnel across the Shiradi ghat section (between Sakleshpur and Gundya) for faster connectivity between Mangaluru and Bengaluru.

In a recent social media post, TV Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Aarin Capital, urged the Centre to fulfil the long-pending demand.

The Mangaluru-Udupi region in coastal Karnataka is seen as an emerging IT hub. While the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative of the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission has helped establish IT startups and companies in the region, corporate leaders at several IT-related events have voiced their unhappiness over the tardy progress in efforts to improve Bengaluru-Mangaluru road connectivity.

Rohith Bhat, founder of 99Games Ltd and Robosoft Technologies, says that by cutting Mangaluru-Bengaluru travel time to four hours from the existing eight, the tunnel will prove a game changer for the region. It would spur more industries to set up units in coastal Karnataka, he says.

Pointing out that the project can be completed within six years, he urges the road and railway ministries to work together to expedite the project.

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Praveen Kumar Kalbhavi, CEO of IT company Novigo Solutions, draws attention to the growing trend of multinational corporations expanding their presence in tier-2 cities across India.

Locations such as Mangaluru would benefit if connectivity is improved, he says. Given Bengaluru’s global profile, a mere four-hour drive to Mangaluru would open up a world of opportunities. Combined with Mangaluru’s inherent strengths such as a skilled talent pool, decent infrastructure, and reduced operational cost, he foresees the region to be primed for exponential growth.

Jeevan Saldanha, CEO of export-oriented manufacturing company Spectrum Industries, rues the disruption in road and rail networks during the heavy rainfall brought in by the monsoon. The tunnel project offers an environmentally prudent alternative to widening the existing road, he says, obviating the need to acquire ecologically sensitive forest areas.

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