Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jan 16: K Jayaraj Pai, convener of Dakshina Kannada District Committee of ‘Heddari Ulisi’ organization, and B Govindaraj Hegde, convener of the organization, informed at a press conference held here on Friday January 15, that the highways in Karnataka coast will be blocked on Saturday January 23, to draw the attention of both the central and state governments towards the need to conduct repairs and maintenance works of various highways and roads in the district. The highways to be blocked are, national highway number 17, 63, 206, 48 and 13, from 6 am to 6 pm, they revealed.

The organization has been spearheading a movement urging the governments to undertake repairs and maintenance, besides widening of the national and state highways, main roads of the districts and the rural roads, in addition to using modern technology for repairing the ghat roads to extend their life span. Leaflets giving details of the demands had been released at a function held at Udupi recently, they said.

“State Lorry Owners Association president, Shanmugappa, State Maxi Cab Association president, Ravindra, and Canara Bus Owners Association have already declared their support for the agitation. The members of the respective district committees have already personally met the deputy commissioners concerned, and handed over the memorandums,” they added.

They warned that the agitation will be intensified by drawing support from more like-minded organizations, if the governments do not respond to this symbolic agitation, and reiterated their resolve to continue to follow the agitational path till all the demands are met. Details of the points where the roads will be blocked, will be made public on January 20 or 21, they explained.

Ramesh Kotian, P Gaurav Hegde, Pushparaj Shetty and some others were present.