Pics: Inchara Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)

Udupi, Jul 27: “Intelligent locals should consider whether a by-pass road of 3 km is essential over the controversial issue of 100 meters,” said Padubidri By-pass Opposing Committee president Navinchandra J Shetty.

He was addressing a large gathering of protesters at Padubidri town on Tuesday July 26 who were agitating against the proposed by-pass project by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in Padubidri town, which would drive the poor and middle income families, peasants, retired families into street, by acquiring their properties for broadening the national highway.

Shetty urged NHAI to widen the existing national highway as it is legal without taking away the farmlands and public property in Padubidri town. The protesters held a rally from Old Gurudev Talkies passing through Padubidri – Karkala Road on NH 66 and picketed in front of the head office of Navyug Construction, contractor of national highway widening works.

Committee leader Devipras Shetty alleged that Navyug Construction is also involved with the capitalists by influencing NHAI officers laying emphasis on constructing by-pass road in Padubidri town.

Padubidri JCI president Mitun R Hegde, Coastal Development Authority member Ravindranat G Hegde, TP member Bhaskar Padubidri, Padubidri Block Youth Congress president Navin N Shetty, NSUI president Abdul Aziz Hejamady, INTUC district vice president Ganesh N Kotian, Suresh Shetty, Divakar Bhat, Jaya Shetty, Jitendra Furtado, M P Moidinabba and others were present on the occasion.
The protesters led by the Committee later presented a memorandum to DC Dr Chennappa Gowda at the district headquarter.