Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has stressed the need for a new expressway along Karnataka's coast. He raised the proposal in the Lok Sabha on December 18 under Rule 377. The expressway would run from Talapady on the Kerala-Karnataka border to Karwar in Uttara Kannada district. It could follow the Mangaluru-Mumbai railway line. MP Poojary said the existing National Highway 66 between Kanniyakumari and Panvel is highly congested. Despite being widened to four lanes in parts, NH 66 struggles to handle the rising traffic on the Karnataka coast. "Traffic congestion was constantly on the rise on NH 66 in coastal Karnataka," he said. Increased traffic has led to more accidents and fatalities. He explained that a greenfield expressway would ease the load on the current four-lane highway and provide smooth travel for through-traffic. The MP added, "If a greenfield expressway was constructed between Talapady and Karwar, it could considerably reduce the burden on the existing highway." Besides easing traffic, the new road is expected to boost tourism in coastal Karnataka's interiors. It could also kick-start fresh economic growth from Mangaluru to Goa. The existing NH 66 in Karnataka was widened to four lanes in 90 km between Talapady and Kundapura, and 187 km between Kundapura and the Goa border. Toll collection on these sections began in 2016 and 2023, respectively. Some stretches in Bhatkal, Honnavar, and Kumta are still pending. In Kerala, NH 66 between Talapady and Thiruvananthapuram is nearly six lanes. The proposed expressway could complement this to enable seamless travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Goa. This proposal by MP Poojary aims to tackle traffic woes and enhance regional connectivity along the busy Karnataka coastline.