The Karnataka Cabinet has approved infrastructure works worth about ₹20,000 crore for roads, bridges and related projects across the state, with the Public Works Department set to implement several of the largest components.
Rural Development Minister Eshwar Khandre announced the decisions after the Cabinet meeting. The approvals include the fifth phase of the State Highway Development Project, under which road improvement works will cover 1,897 km. The government has also approved projects under Appendix E, involving roads, bridges and buildings across different Assembly constituencies at an estimated cost of ₹6,000 crore.
A further ₹3,000 crore has been approved as additional funding for road development works. The Cabinet also cleared a new ₹6,000 crore scheme to improve around 3,986 km of roads linking district headquarters with other district headquarters, district headquarters with taluk centres, and taluk centres with other taluk centres.
The Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited has received administrative approval for a revised estimated cost of ₹3,409.02 crore to undertake road development works around Bengaluru in 10 packages. The report did not specify the individual roads, construction timelines or implementation schedules for these packages.
Several bridge projects were approved in specific districts. In Bhadravati city municipal limits in Shivamogga district, a bridge connecting the KSRTC bus stand with Siddharoodha Nagar will be built at a cost of ₹42 crore. In Kalaburagi district, an elevated connecting road and bridge across the Bennethora river near Kansur on a state highway has been approved at a cost of ₹21 crore.
The Cabinet also approved ₹40 crore for rebuilding the Tunga bridge on the Bagalkot–Biligiriranganabetta State Highway in Shivamogga city and ₹12 crore for rebuilding the bridge over the Jinagihalla river on the Nagsamudra road in Molakalmuru taluk.
Other infrastructure decisions included ₹8.43 crore for a multi-level parking facility at the Malpe fishing harbour in Udupi district and ₹26.10 crore for new industrial estates at Muddebihal in Vijayapura district and Haralahalli in Kampli hobli of Ballari district. The Cabinet also approved ₹16.83 crore for a 10.60-km railway barricade from P.G. Palya to Kuduvalli Cross in the P.G. Palya wildlife zone of the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Division in Chamarajanagar circle.
The Cabinet approved a ₹28.01 crore comprehensive action plan for information, education and communication activities under the National Health Mission. It also cleared the purchase of robotic equipment costing ₹40 crore for the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bengaluru and the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute in Hubballi.
The Cabinet approved the Sannati Development Authority Bill, 2026. It also decided that the winter session of the state legislature would be held in Belagavi from December 2 to 11. The dates had earlier been announced as November 30, but the minister did not provide a reason for the change.
The Cabinet decisions were presented at a press conference by Khandre after uncertainty over which minister would brief the media. The report said Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who had been assigned the responsibility, left because of ill health, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said he had not been instructed to attend. The report did not provide further details on the tendering or execution process for the approved works.
