Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Feb 19: Dakshina Kannada MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, visited the Shiradi Ghat stretch of national highway 75 where road repair and development work amounting to Rs 69.9 crore is in progress, on Wednesday February 18.

He noted that out of the first phase of expansion and development of 13 km of road scheduled as per plan, 69 culverts need to be widened, out of which 40 are under progress. He said that out of the balance 29, work is in progress in 25, while four culverts have not at all taken up so far. Only 400 metres of road has been concreted in the first phase so far out of 11.77 km that is to be concreted. In case of the remaining road stretch, crushed stones have been spread out for a distance of 6.6 km, whereas work of spreading crushed stone is under way in 3.62 km, he explained.

The MP told the press persons that he will follow a three-pronged strategy to speed the road work and to maintain transparency, which are as follows:

1. Steps would be taken to ensure that time schedules of road work are met. Number of labourers would be increased for achieving faster pace of work.

2. Special monitoring committee would be formed for checking quality of work and submit report on transparency aspect. If any substandard work is found, the officials and contractors would be jointly held responsible.

3. At the Lok Sabha session that will begin shortly, the need to complete the road work on a war footing would be raised. Union minister for transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, would be impressed upon the need to look into the matter and take necessary steps.