Arun Uppinangady
Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jul 6: The first phase of concreting work on Shiradi Ghat stretch of national highway 66 is going ahead at full throttle. Senior engineer in the department of national highways, Prasanna, said that the remaining 600 metres of this stretch of the road is likely to be completed within the next four days.

The road work has been progressing at a considerable speed, because of the fact that intensity of rain has been far less than expected. In the first phase of road development, 600 metres stretch remains to be concreted, and if rain continues to be less as of now, this stretch would get concreted within the next four days. Thereafter, roadsides will have to be filled with mud followed with levelling work. Subject to rains playing truant, contractors are hopeful of opening the road for light vehicles on August 1 as promised earlier.

Heavy vehicles can be allowed to use this road only after the completion of filling work relating to concreting. Prasanna, speaking to social activist, Kishore Shirady, who had visited the spot on Sunday, said that high quality has been ensured in the road work in spite of certain problems which it encountered, and that the work has entered its final phase.

Another engineer in the department, Muniraju, said that road work execution is being closely monitored for quality, insisting that standards have not been compromised with. 'In spite of certain problems, weaknesses and lacunae the works have encountered, the work has been executed in an excellent manner, and we are happy that the work is coming to an end amid unhappiness and dissent prevailing among people who are inconvenienced by the closure of this road,' he explained.

Farooq, who represents the team of contractors, concurred that the pace of work had been hit by untimely rain during April. 'Now, the environment is congenial, and we are conducting work all through the days and nights. Some pending works will be completed in the coming days. For ensuring high quality and for speedy completion of works, we are using a machine imported from Germany. This machine has the technology to ensure that mixing standards prescribed by the government are met without fail. The work here is being scrutinized by different levels of inspectors, and scientific tests are being conducted by the concerned to ensure quality. We have to fill the sides of the concrete road with mud in the coming days. We will conform to quality about the mud also, which will be brought here from a distance of 40 km, without compromising on this issue,' he clarified.

Farooq said that they get scolded by people who move through this road often. He said that the team many a time gets frustrated with the behaviour of even educated people who drive their vehicles on the just-laid concrete mix against their request. 'A police sub-inspector from Mandya district, who was on a visit to Subrahmanya, had driven his jeep over the wet concrete mix that had been laid minutes before, although there was space to drive the vehicle on the side of the road. When objected, he refused to budge, saying that it was our duty to repair the road if it is damaged,' he stated.

Farooq added that they need to maintain quality of road and at the same time, maintain speed in execution.

Thousands of people who have been compelled to undertake travel by alternative routes since the closure of Shiradi Ghat section of the highway and who had been frustrated and troubled by traffic snarls and lack of facilities on the other routes, have been heaving a sigh of relief now. The news that the road is set to open shortly has brought smiles back on their faces.