Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Mar 4: Udupi district deputy commissioner (DC), Hemalata P, said that the shops and establishments functioning on the main road of the town should vacate their buildings up to the required width, before the end of March 2011. She said that the district administration will take the initiatives to vacate the shops and other structures, if the same is not done voluntarily by then.

She was addressing a meeting of the merchants and residents of the main road here, convened on Thursday March 3 at the taluk panchayat hall.

Speaking on behalf of the merchants and residents of the main road, former municipal president, K P Shenoy, agreed that road widening was a necessity, but felt that widening may be confined to only two to three stretches, where the road is narrow. Pointing out that in most of the places, the road is 22 feet wide, he expressed the readiness of the residents to voluntarily vacate seven feet on both sides, including the drains. He felt that clearing the buildings more than this limit, can damage the foundations of these buildings. He also requested for the postponement of  the acquisition procedures till the completion of religious programmes connected with the car festival of Lord Venkataramana Temple here, scheduled for May end.

Another representative, K P Anant Prabhu, sought six months time for vacating the premises. Municipal councillor, Navinchandra Hegde, said that he fully endorses the opinion of the locals, and requested the administration to favourably consider the same. Councillor, Ramesh Kumar, and Shariff, felt that the road will become wider, if the merchants clear their road encroachments. Advocate, Vijendra Kumar, felt that public opinion should be given due weightage before widening the road.

The DC said that the road widening has remained on paper since 1998, and that the issue has not gone further than holding of discussions. She said that ministers, legislators, former legislators, and officials have concurred that there is a need to widen this important road. While stressing that widening of the road is not impossible without collecting opinions of the locals, she vehemently disagreed with the suggestion for more time.  She said that depending upon the width of the road, a minimum of seven feet has to be set aside for road widening, and in many places, more land will be required to be vacated. She added that a meeting of people having their buildings within 200 metres from the roads on both sides, will be convened in Udupi shortly to collect their opinions.

Tahsldar, Jagannath Rao, welcomed. Municipal president, Pratima, vice-president, Prema, and chief officer, Gopalakrishna, were at the dais.