Mangaluru: Cong protests flyover delay; demands probe into NHAI’s substandard work

Mangaluru, Aug 1: Delay in completing widening work on National Highway 66, including the construction of flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu junctions today spurred the activists of Indian National Congrress to stage a protest at the construction site in the city.

The protest was jointly organised by the Mangaluru City South and Mangaluru City North Assembly constituency units of the party. There was some inconvenience to movement of vehicles during the protest as a large number of people had gathered.

Speaking on the occasion J R Lobo, former MLA, Mangaluru City South, said it was over eight years since the National Highway Authority of India took up the work of constructing the flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu – the two prominent junctions – on the NH66 that passes through the city.

Despite numerous meetings conducted by him earlier with the NHAI officials, not much progress had been made in the work. The inordinate delay was affecting the people, he said.

Mr Lobo said though the State government was exerting pressure on the Union government to complete the works at the earliest, the Centre has failed to fulfil its duty. The local BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has completely forgotten the issue, he said.

“We are staging protest today with the intention of exerting pressure on the Union government,” he stressed.

Speaking on the occasion, Ivan D’Souza, MLC, alleged that NH 66 was full of potholes, especially between Mangaluru and Surathkal. As the NHAI has failed to complete the widening works between Talapady and Kundapura, it should stop collecting toll on the stretch.

Mr. D’Souza alleged that the NHAI has done substandard work on the stretch and the government should conduct a probe into this.