Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 8: It has been four months now since the Mangaluru division of the National Highways Authority of India covering Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, is functioning without a full time project director. Because of this, clearance of necessary files and development works have been hampered.

The earlier project director of Mangaluru division, Shishu Mohan, was transferred in October last year. Hassan project director A K Janbaz, had been posted here as additional project director. He used to come here on Fridays and Saturdays every week. From January 1 this year he has been posted as project director at Bengaluru. He has been given additional charge of Mangaluru and Hassan. He did not visit this division during January at all. Because of the Nelamangala flyover issue he was unable to move anywhere else. The regional officer of Bengaluru National Highways Authority had visited Mangaluru once but on his return, he was caught up in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CB!) raid. A new officer has now been designated in his place.

The land acquisition process of  Mangaluru-Karkala stretch of National Highway 169 is long pending. The road widening work at B C Road - Periyashanti - Addahole stretch was moving at a brisk pace but because of the absence of the project director, works are pending and files are not cleared. It is learnt that the company executing National Highway 169 road widening has made it clear that it can deliver the work order only if at least 90 percent of the required land is acquired. But as of now, only 17 percent of private land has been acquired. Along with the government land provided, it totals to about 70 percent. There is a stay order by court on the acquisition of the remaining land. Unless the project director is posted, the works may not move at the desired pace.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel says that he has already taken up the matter of the project director with the union minister and senior officials concerned.