Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD)
Udupi, Jul 9: Member of Parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary has issued a detailed clarification regarding the ongoing development work on national highway 169A from Malpe to Agumbe. He outlined the progress, challenges, and legal hurdles encountered across various stretches of the project.
The clarification comes after residents of the Parkala area staged a massive protest demanding a proper connecting road. Poojary also visited the Indrali railway bridge construction site, where work is pending the commencement of the concreting process.
Speaking about the work in the Adi-Udupi section, the MP stated that road construction has been underway for over a year, with compensation amounting to Rs 24.86 crore already disbursed to 135 landowners. “Wherever there were disputes, I personally intervened, visiting multiple locations between Karavali Junction and Malpe along with officials to accelerate progress,” he said.
He added that nearly 90% of land parcels have been surveyed and that efforts were made to release compensation promptly by organizing review meetings with the concerned authorities. A directive was also issued to submit a 3D report of the land details. “I even visited the regional office in Bengaluru to ensure that landowners received their dues,” he noted. For the 70 landowners who have not submitted documents, legal measures have been initiated to deposit compensation via court and continue the work.
Poojary acknowledged that clearing trees and relocating electric poles takes time but confirmed that the work from Malpe to Karavali Junction, along with related compensation procedures, is now progressing rapidly.
Regarding recent media reports on the delay at Parkala, the MP clarified that 11 landowners had secured a stay order from the Karnataka High Court when road straightening work near the Parkala curve was initiated. “This curve is notorious for accidents. I submitted documented accident data to the court through national highway lawyers to justify the necessity of the work,” he said. Eventually, the stay was lifted within a year, and Rs 8 crore was deposited by the government for the concerned landowners. However, the same landowners obtained another stay, and Poojary stated that he is in constant touch with legal representatives to get it vacated. “We hope the stay will be lifted soon and work will resume immediately,” he added.
On the Kallianpur underpass, which has been subject to political criticism, Poojary emphasized that a stay order had been issued by the court regarding the use of explosives to remove a rock. As a result, manual drilling and removal took additional time. “The road is now open to smooth traffic flow, with both ends of the flyover asphalted,” he explained. Remaining work is in progress.
Referring to the Indrali flyover, he addressed the continuous protests and dramatic demonstrations, including a symbolic funeral procession and head-shaving protest. “Despite all this, I remained on-site several times to push the project forward,” he said. Poojary highlighted that it was unusual but necessary for FIRs to be filed against engineers and contractors, and for a fixed deadline to be imposed on girder works within the government system. The girders have now been installed, cribs removed, and the structure is ready for concreting.
“I’ve been closely monitoring the progress almost every day. Even today, I visited Indrali and urged engineers to expedite the concreting,” he stated. He also pointed out that schoolchildren were involved in the protest march, which was a violation of the Child Rights Protection Act. “Still, I chose to remain silent out of respect for democratic protests,” he said.
“I remain committed to completing all ongoing projects in a way that satisfies even the critics,” Poojary concluded. He also mentioned that he has already instructed engineers to urgently repair the Parkala stretch of the road.