Special Report: Mangalore's 'Road' to Development
Prakash Samaga
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (VD)
Mangalore, Sep 24: The city is known to be by far one of the fastest developing cities in the state, if not the country. However, the condition of the roads in some of the important parts of the city here tells a different story altogether.
The Mangalore City Corporation came into existence in the year 1983 and has completed 28 years of service. But it is sad to note that the basic facilities like good roads in the city are being neglected.
The MCC has achieved a landmark in collecting 99.99 % tax from the citizens and also bagged an award for the achievement. Rs 200 crore special grants were allotted by the government mainly for the road work. However, in city, areas like Mallikkatta and Jyothi to Bunts Hostel road, the asphalt has been washed away in the rain.
In areas like Bendore, where many educational institutions are placed, bad roads have been creating horrendous problems for school kids and college students. Traffic jams have become a daily nuisance during peak hours, all thanks to the bad roads. Traffic cops in fact are the worst hit. Every time there is a road block due to traffic, these men in uniform are made to work in these areas fighting against the dust and pouring rain.
As Pumpwell is a low-lying area, roads from Pumpwell to Nanthoor are in a pathetic condition. Two wheelers are finding it difficult to commute on these roads.
The condition of roads at the service bus stand road, Bunder Road, Market road is no better. Travelling on the road connecting the service bus stop to Lady Goshen is a nightmare. There is no asphalting at all.
Even those roads that are concreted are incomplete - at the end or beginning of all concreted roads a small portion is left undone, without even ordinary repair, which not only spoils the overall beauty of the road but gives a hell of a time to commuters. It is amazing that there are even roads with smooth concrete on only one side while the other side is full of craters!
Muneer Katipalla, president of district unit of DYFI, the organisation has time and again raised its voice against injustice or problems in the society, says that the main roads were repaired with the help of CM’s fund and most of them were concreted. But as less commission rate is fixed for inner roads, no contractor wants to take up the work. When the organisation held a protest during October last year, the participation of public was poor which showed the laid-back approach of people. Only activists of unions hold demonstrations which later go in vein, he regrets.
Corporator Gretta Rebello says that the quality of the asphalt supplied these days is poor, making the road unfit for commuting in a short span of time. Many corporators of different wards have complained about this issue at a meeting called by the commissioner, she said.
Interlocking of roads in second cross of Ring Road has been taken up and tenders for asphalting of roads will be called after the rainy season stops, she added.
Corporator Naveen D'Souza said that in Bendorewell road there was a leakage in a water pipe which has weakened the road, as every time water gets blocked and the road gets damaged. He assured that after rains, a permanent solution would be sought out. He also stated it was discouraging to see the public and media blame corporators for the poor condition of the roads without knowning the actual reason.
Hanumanth Kamath, a social worker and president of Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi also points out the problem of public response to the issue. People fail to turn up for demonstrations in large numbers, which defeats the purpose of the protests and has no effect on the administration. He stated that State Bank – Nellikai road and Pandeshwar to Kudroli temple bridge road were damaged within 15 days of their repair. When work is taken up, they give three-year guarantee, but it wears off in a few months. The quality of work is not scrutinised properly by the engineers during repair work, he complained.
As the city is on a hilly area and roads are uneven, it demands top quality asphalt for longevity. There are also complaints that 90 % of the corporators take commission before they assign work to contractors. People should raise voice against all these discrepancies, Kamath urged.
It remains to be seen how long the people of Mangalore will tolerate the situation. Mangaloreans are known for their patience, which unfortunately has let the administration take things lightly. The need of the hour is a concerted effort from the public to raise its voice, for, it is the common man who has to suffer in the end.