Ballari Lok Sabha member E. Tukaram on Friday inaugurated the new bypass road between Veniveerapura and Hagari, developed under the NH-67 project. The 25-km stretch is part of the 95.370-km Hosapete–Karnataka–Andhra Pradesh border highway project, taken up at a cost of ₹830.28 crore to boost regional connectivity.
Mr. Tukaram noted that nearly 78% of the project is complete, while works around Bhuvanahalli, Vaddarahalli, and Gadiganur, including a railway overbridge, are underway. He said the new stretch would ease congestion caused by the earlier “unscientific” Sudha Cross bypass, where heavy vehicles had long troubled daily commuters.
He informed that a DPR is being prepared to convert the Sudha Cross–Kaul Bazaar road into a four-lane stretch, and that work on the Sudha Cross railway overbridge is progressing. The Ballari Urban Development Authority has released ₹9 crore to the Railways for the overbridge near Durgamma Temple, he added.
The MP said a DPR is also in progress for a ring road connecting Ballari to Siruguppa via Veniveerapura, estimated at ₹230 crore. Once completed, he said, the ring road network would enhance mobility and support the integrated growth of Akhanda Ballari.
Touching on industrial land issues in Kudatini and Veniveerapura, he said that 2,659 acres acquired earlier for industries would be returned to farmers as ArcelorMittal, NMDC, and Uttam Galva have decided not to proceed with proposed projects.
However, NMDC has assured the government of establishing a new industry by December-end to generate local jobs, while Uttam Galva has placed a proposal for a ₹36,000-crore environment-friendly project, discussed recently in the presence of the Chief Minister. The MP said the Centre has been urged to implement the Sarojini Mahishi report to secure employment for local youth in NMDC.
He also performed a bhoomi pooja for a new bus shelter near the Government Polytechnic College, funded through his ₹10-lakh MPLAD allocation for 2024–25, and promised a 2,000-litre RO water unit for the institution.
MRI scanning centre
Later, Mr. Tukaram inaugurated a new ₹12-crore MRI scanning centre at the Ballari District Hospital, set up under NMDC’s CSR programme. He encouraged citizens to prioritise their health.
He pointed out that the CSR framework introduced during the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, mandating 2% of profits for public welfare, had enabled substantial investment in health, education, and skill development in Ballari.
Zilla Panchayat CEO Muhammad Haris Sumair said the MRI unit is among the region’s most advanced, with BPL cardholders able to access scans for ₹1,150. District Surgeon Basareddy said the machine uses advanced technology to diagnose bone and nerve disorders and will function daily as per schedule.