Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Jul 1: In-charge deputy commissioner Prabhakar Sharma announced that the ban enforced on the movement of vehicles between B C Road Circle to Polali Cross on the national highway (NH) 48 effective from Tuesday June 30 has been withdrawn till further orders. He informed at a meeting convened at the office of the deputy commissioner of the district here on Tuesday that this decision stems from the overall public opinion, problems the people will face because of the ban and the delay in executing the works by Ircon Company, which has been entrusted with the highway widening contract.
B C Road is one of the most important junctions on national highway 48 between the city and Bangalore. The ban was brought into effect to help the company to build a fly over at B C Road. As per the terms of the contract, Ircon Company was expected to build alternative road (service road) for the movement of vehicles during the execution of works.
The meeting was attended among others, by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Coastal Development Authority chairman Nagaraj Shetty and MLA U T Khader.
It has been decided that Ircon Company has to build two service roads of 200 metres length between B C Road Circle and Polali Cross within ten days. After this is done, movement of vehicles on NH 48 will be banned for 30 days only at night. During this time, the Company is required to take up works on a war footing and complete the works within this time. Mescom, BSNL, Land Acquisition Officer and the tahsildar were asked to find solution to all the technical problems they are facing, before Saturday July 4.
The MP questioned the inordinate delay in executing the road works and asked the concerned to understand their responsibilities and execute the work properly. Some councillors of Bantwal municipal council, who were present sought the works to be executed in such a way that drinking water supply to the town is not affected. MLA U T Khader said that the Melkar-Konaje road will suffer heavy damages if bullet tankers and ore trucks are allowed to be run on this road. He received the support of the public works department officials for this demand. Nagaraj Shetty said that experts will conduct a test of the capacity of this road before taking a final decision.
Ircon Company officials said that the four-lane works of the national highway would be completed before December 31 this year.