M’lore : Road widening delay irks residents

The Hindu

M’lore, Jun 7, 2014 : G.S. Pai, an old resident of Gurupura, gets worked up when asked whether there is resistance to the widening of the stretch of National Highway 169 that passes near their house.

“Who said we are opposing,” said 50-year-old Mr. Pai. “Heavy movement of traffic and accidents have made it difficult for us to come out of the house. We are the ones who have been repeatedly pressing for widening for the last three years. But still no work is happening,” he said.

Mr. Pai was among the many agitated residents of Gurupura who carried out demonstration following the death of seven-year-old Rohit R. Poojary after he was hit by a tempo in Gurupura on Thursday. Rohit was among the 15 victims of accidents that have occurred since December 2013.

 

 

Veerendra, another Gurupura resident, said there had been a drastic increase in the number of accidents on this narrow stretch of the National Highway where the traffic has increased manifold. “My son does not like going to school alone negotiating this traffic. Every day I have to drop him to the (government) school and bring him back.”

Mr. Pai said there were several points on this narrow stretch that made a driver blind of the approaching traffic. With a narrow stretch, a four-wheeler has to go off the road to allow way for an approaching bus or four-wheeler. “We have volunteered to give space for widening. But authorities are dillydallying over the issue,” he said.

Madhava Amin, a member of Gurupura Gram Panchayat, claimed the panchayat had so far not discussed the road widening issue. Public representatives had not raised their voice against the delay in execution of widening work, he said.

Pall of gloom

A pall of gloom has descended over the family of Rohit Poojary. Mr. Rohit was the younger of the two children of Rajendra Poojary and Jyothi. The accident occurred about 200 metres away from their house.

Teachers and students of Pompai English Medium School were also shocked over the news of Rohit’s death. Rohit was among the 40 children from Gurupura studying in the school. “The bus that Rohit was waiting for was 100 metres away when the accident occurred,” recalled Mr. Rohit’s classmate Prajwal.

Proposal

Meanwhile, the proposal to widen the NH169 (formerly NH13) between Mangalore and Karkala via Moodbidri is awaiting approval by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

It was in November 2013 that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) proposed the widening of the 50-km stretch between Mangalore and Karkala into a four-lane road. The 20-km stretch between Moodbidri and Karkala was proposed to be widened to a two-lane road.

There was also a proposal to construct a bypass at Gurupura and Moodbidri. “We are awaiting approval from the Ministry,” said Shriram Mishra, the Project Director of Mangalore Project Office of the NHAI, when contacted.