By Justin D'Silva
Udupi, October 30: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has directed National Highway officials and contractors to take necessary measures to ensure smooth and safe movement of vehicles on national highways by carrying out scientific road works and ensuring regular maintenance.
He was speaking while chairing a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Rajathadri, Manipal, on Thursday to discuss the increasing number of accidents at several locations along National Highway 66, including Kota, Padubidri and Tekkatte.
Expressing concern over the rising number of accidents and fatalities on NH 66, Poojary said contractors should not limit their responsibilities to collecting toll fees but must also ensure proper maintenance of highways as per prescribed norms. He warned that legal action would be initiated against the concerned officials or contractors if accidents occur due to negligence in highway maintenance.
He pointed out that the responsibilities of contractors are clearly specified at the time of awarding toll collection contracts. However, highway maintenance in the district is not being carried out effectively as per government guidelines. He cautioned that continued negligence could lead to public resentment, with people potentially refusing to pay toll charges.
Poojary informed that 22 accident-prone black spots have been identified across the district. He directed National Highway engineers and contractors to immediately install streetlights, signboards, barricades, blinkers and other scientific road safety measures at these locations and major junctions to make them accident-free zones.
Regarding the service road from Ambagilu to LVT, he said the construction work is underway, with tree clearance and drainage works already initiated. He instructed officials to expedite the project and take precautionary measures at Ambagilu junction to prevent accidents caused by heavy traffic.
He also directed officials to complete the ongoing service road projects at Nittoor, Tekkatte, Kumbhashi and other locations at the earliest, ensuring quality construction and opening them for public use, considering the frequent accidents reported in these areas.
Highlighting the inadequate functioning of streetlights at the Kalyanpur-Santekatte underpass, he said motorists face difficulties while travelling at night. He asked MESCOM and NHAI officials to coordinate and ensure uninterrupted functioning of the lights.
The MP further directed NHAI officials and contractors to make necessary arrangements to provide discounted local FASTag facilities from November 1 to residents living within a 20-km radius of national highway toll plazas.
Regarding the skywalk under construction at Tenka Yermal, Poojary said local residents had raised objections to the project and suggested suspending the work. Instead, he asked officials to explore the construction of skywalks at high-traffic locations such as Ambagilu and near Mahesh Hospital in Brahmavar. He also said that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was being prepared to develop an accident-free highway from Kundapur to Talapady on the lines of the Kerala model.
Kaup MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty said the lack of proper roads for public transportation often leads to public dissatisfaction with elected representatives. Referring to the increasing number of accidents and fatalities at Padubidri due to heavy vehicular movement, he suggested that an overbridge or underpass be constructed at the location on priority to prevent accidents.
Udupi MLA Yashpal A Suvarna urged authorities to take up the construction of a service road from Balaipade to Korangrapady. He also stressed the need to provide all essential road safety infrastructure at accident-prone locations.
Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar, DFO Ruthran P, Additional Deputy Commissioner Abid Gadyal, Assistant Commissioner Mahesh P S, NHAI Project Director Abdul Javed Azmi, district-level officials, contractors, engineers and others were present at the meeting.