Mangaluru, Nov 28: Decrying National Highway Authority of India’s apathy in restoring the battered National Highway 66 between Kuloor and Baikampady, Mangaluru North Youth Congress activists on Monday staged a protest demonstration at Honnakatte here.
The protesters, who staged a rasta roko, also played cricket on the battered stretch of the national highway.
Addressing party members, Mangaluru North MLA B.A. Mohiuddin Bava demanded that NHAI stop toll collection forthwith at NITK Surathkal and at BC Road.
Mr Bava said that the NHAI has failed to initiate measures to repair the stretch on NH-66. “Toll collection at three checkpoints on this highway is looting people, since no maintenance work is done,” he said.
Stating that the road has been constructed in an unscientific manner and it takes longer to reach Mangaluru, he said the road is filled with potholes and the authorities have failed to fill the potholes.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel who travels on this stretch has neglected the potholes, he lamented.
Mangaluru North Youth Congress president Girish Alva said that a journey of about 15 minutes has now been extended to more than an hour to cover 12 km between Surathkal and Mangaluru, owing to the poor condition of the road.
Though Dakshina Kannada MP is from the BJP, and the BJP being at the helm of affairs at the Centre, the condition of the road has not improved, which is shameful, Mr. Alva said.
District Youth Congress president Mithun Rai said that the wing would protest against collection of toll till the highway and service roads are restored. He said that one would have to doubt how MP Nalin Kumar Kateel was adjudged the best MP considering the pathetic state of the highway in the district headquarters.
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