Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jun 21: A huge crater has been created on Annalike road bend between Bantwal and Moodbidri. The crater now appears like an artificial flood with large quantity of watr. People are angry at the gas pipeline of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), as they feel that haphazard work conducted by the company has given rise to this alarming situation.

When road was dug up about a year ago at this spot for laying of gas pipeline between Mangaluru and Bengaluru, the then taluk panchayat member, Vasant Kumar, had led protest of locals there. Concerned by the protest, HPCL officials had rushed to the spot. After they promised to widen the road bend here and ensure that the road is re-asphalted, the protest had been withdrawn. The people living in the area have complained that the officials, after completion of pipeline work, had widened the work as promised, but did poor asphalting work, because of which the current situation has arisen. They say that the officials and engineer who had come to give assurance had not been seen ever since.

A number of two-wheeler drivers, who pass by this stretch without being aware that there is a huge crater at this road bend, have been either falling into the crater or roadside drains. A number of vehicles have met with accidents here. Both vehicle drivers and locals have urged the concerned to immediately fill the crater and concrete the road towards providing a permanent solution to the problem.