Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (MS)

Sullia, Sep 16: District administration of both Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu and the National Highway department have barred any vehicle from plying on the highway between Sampaje and Madikeri. It might be recalled that light vehicles had started to use the highway two days ago. The administration and the national highway department had made it clear that the stretch of highway is not open for traffic as of now.

Light vehicles had started to run on the highway as a temporary road was built. But due to the traffic jam and the increasing number of visitors on the highway, the work of permanent road got affected and that is why the restriction was imposed again.

The work is in progress in the highway under the limits of Mangaluru and Madikeri. However, the movement of light vehicles from both directions caused a traffic jam, which hampered the permanent road work that is going on in this stretch.

Official information will be conveyed

A report will be submitted to the officials of the department, once the highway is made traffic worthy. An official decision with regards to allowing the traffic on the stretch will be taken only after the deputy commissioners and higher officials of the department will inspect the work carried out on the stretch. Till then no vehicle will be allowed to use this road as per the information given by the sources of the highway department.

Confusion created by the administration

The highway department did not impose any restriction on the light vehicles, which started plying on the road once the temporary road was constructed. Some officials even went to the extent and gave a statement saying that the temporary road is ready for use by the light vehicles. Though the district administration did not given official permission, a clear stand was not conveyed by the department which has undertaken the responsibility of the road work. As the department did not take any precautions, the light vehicles continued their movement on the temporary road.

Hundreds of vehicles used the ghat road and many came on the pretext of enjoying the scenic view and took selfies by parking their vehicles on the road. This caused complete jam of traffic on the road. The district administration and the highway department who got alerted after the block of the highway restricted the movement for the time being. On Saturday, September 15 many vehicles were in queue to enter the ghat but had to return as permission was not given.