<span style="color: #222222;">Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for 25 highway projects over 552 kms worth around 5459 crore rupees in Karnataka today. <br />''<br />''Union minister launched or inaugurated 33 infrastructure projects to build 1,197 kilometres stretch of of highways, including development of Chitradurga-Shivamogga road, construction of a 6 lane bridge of approximately 1 km on NH-66 across Phalgune river near Kulur, four-laning of coastal roads from Goa border to Kerala border connecting port cities of Velakari, Karwar and Mangalore under the ambitious 11,000 crore rupees initiative. <br />''<br />''Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa presided over the virtual function attended by Union Minister V K Singh, former P.M H.D Deve Gowda and Union Ministers Sadananda Gowda and Prahlad Joshi among others. During the next three year period, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry is looking forward to implementing 69 projects at a cost of 68 thousand crore rupees covering a length of 3213 km. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Ministry has sanctioned 864 works costing 5800 crore rupees  during the last six years for Karnataka. Speaking during the virtual ceremony, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari asked the Karnataka Government to encourage production of ethanol from sugarcane to help the farmers. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa sought Union minister Gadkari's support in building a major road network in the state including a project to connect Bengaluru and Mangaluru.</span><br />''