Udupi: 'Heddari Ulisi' - Demand for flyover at Brahmavar grows stronger

Suvarna Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jun 17: The voices of the people living in Brahmavar and surrounding areas for a flyover at Brahmavar in place of the under pass, are turning into a crescendo. The theory that the traffic chaos created in the region because of the unscientific plan of the under-construction highway can be solved by providing flyover alone, is gaining increased acceptance and support.

Because of unscientific approach in developing the national highway 66 at Brahmavar, traffic has been thrown out of gear for over a year. The movement of vehicles at points like entry to the Brahmavar bus stand, Akashvani, Kunjal Road, and Indiranagar connecting road, has not been streamlined, and hence fraught with risks. The people feel that the under pass, which is a part of the highway development plan, splits the town into two, and hence is undesirable and unacceptable. The support for flyover in place of underpass has been gaining overall support.

On February 16 this year, symbolic road blockade and protest programme had been undertaken at Brahmavar under the leadership of ‘Heddari Ulisi’ committee. As repeated written requests to the people’s representatives and officials, duly drawing their attention to the opinion of the locals, have been overlooked, a meeting was convened at Brahmavar on Saturday June 15 to draw up future action plan.

The meeting unanimously opined that flyover was the only solution to the current traffic chaos. As the earlier legislators and ministers have given way to new ones during the period, it was decided to hand over representations to them afresh. The other plans include formation of a committee by bringing together veterans, dignitaries, and heads of various organizations from Brahmavar and surrounding places, and meeting the people’s representatives, getting information about action taken on the earlier petitions sent by the committee under Right to Information Act, pooling of people’s opinion through the media, release of information regularly to the people, and exhibiting of a blue print of the proposed flyover plan prominently. The meeting also decided to organize a huge rally in support of the demand for flyover, duly inviting people’s representatives there, and requesting them to meet the demand of the committee.

It was decided to own patience and perseverance in getting the demand met. The committee said it is confident of getting the needful done through the officials and people’s representatives, and that it will seek recourse to agitation only if this confidence is belied. Symbolic bandh, total bandh, and indefinite agitation, will be undertaken in stages if the concerned do not heed to peaceful methods, it was decided.

The meeting was attended among others, by Dr Pravin Kumar Shetty, Alevoor Yogeesh Acharya, Dr K P Shetty, office bearers of Bus and Tempo Drivers and Owners Association, office bearers of Petty Shoppers Association, as well as office bearers of a number of other voluntary organizations. The meeting decided to implement the above stages of agitation within three months.

Vittal Poojary welcomed. Convener of the committee, B Govindaraj Hegde presented before the meeting the developments on the issue so far.