Pics: Adithya Aithal

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)

Udupi, Oct 30: The long-awaited underpass project at Katapady Junction on National Highway 66 is finally set to take shape, with construction scheduled to commence in the first week of November at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore. The project will be executed by the National Infra Project Company, following the model of the Kinnimulky Underpass.

However, local residents have expressed concern over the lack of transparency and public communication regarding the project. They pointed out that no official briefing has been held to inform residents, commuters, and local transport operators about the construction plan or the safety measures to be implemented during the work. Residents have urged authorities to hold a public meeting before starting construction to ensure the project is executed in a commuter-friendly and transparent manner.

Originally scheduled to begin in October, the work was delayed due to heavy rainfall. Officials have now confirmed that construction will commence in early November, provided weather conditions improve.

The tender process for the project was completed in March 2025. The underpass will span 550 meters in length and have a height of 5.5 meters, featuring an architectural design similar to the Kinnimulky model.

Katapady Junction has long been a major traffic bottleneck, serving as a crucial intersection connecting Udupi–Mangaluru, Shirva–Katapady, Manipura–Katapady, and Kote Mattu–Katapady routes. The junction experiences heavy vehicular movement daily, with severe congestion on weekends, causing inconvenience to commuters. Frequent accidents have also been reported at this busy intersection. At times, traffic jams stretch up to 3 kilometres, disrupting movement toward Udupi, Mangaluru, and Shirva. Despite the police’s continuous efforts to regulate traffic, the situation remains difficult to manage.

To ease traffic during construction, discussions are underway to finalize a diversion plan. Work will begin on the Mangaluru–Udupi main road, while the service road will be widened simultaneously. Buses traveling toward Udupi will be diverted via Old Embassy Road. When the Mangaluru–Udupi section is under construction, the opposite lane will remain open for vehicular movement.

Pramod, a resident of Katapady, said, “We face traffic issues here every day due to the unscientific design of the road. We have been requesting the construction of an underpass for a long time, and we are glad the project is finally taking shape. However, our main request is that authorities hold a meeting with local residents, commuters, and auto drivers to explain the project details. So far, we haven’t received any information about how the underpass will be built or what safety measures will be taken. Though the MP, MLA, and officials have visited the site, they have not provided any public briefing. The project should be carried out with the convenience of commuters in mind, not just according to official plans. We urge the authorities to organize a meeting at the Katapady gram panchayat auditorium to share complete details with the public.”