Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Feb 8: Union minister of state for road transport and highways, Jitin Prasada, visited the town late night on Sunday February 6, to personally inspect the ongoing national highway road widening work between the town and Suratkal, and to hold discussions with local leaders about certain problems.

During his visit, a few leaders urged him to modify the plan for building an embankment in the town, and replace it with an over-bridge. It was brought to his notice that the embankment proposal, if executed in Toto, will literally split the town into two halves. Reacting to the plea that was forcefully put forth by the action committee, the minister said that the priority of the government is to build the road in a way that is beneficial to the general public, with participation from the public, without getting bogged down over the nuances of the controversy over embankment or over-bridge.

The minister was told that a meeting of the citizens, office bearers of the committee, and officials of the National Highways Authority will be convened on the issue on February 10, and a final decision will be conveyed to the concerned.

The minister had visited the place at the request of former state minister, K Jayaprakash Hegde, and MLC, K Pratapchandra Shetty. Apart from Jayaprakash Hegde, Highway Action Committee convener, Kenchanur Somashekhar Shetty, M A Gafoor, Bhandya Sudhakar Shetty, and several others accompanied the minister.