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Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje

Mangalore, Feb 24: A move by a contractor to close the Lalbagh-KSRTC road for concretisation work without finishing the KSRTC-Bejai road work was stopped due to opposition from public.

The contractor who was undertaking the concretisation work of KSRTC-Bejai road started digging the Lalbagh-KSRTC road near Saibeen Complex using excavator on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, the angry public under the banner of Bejai Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti and Bejai Vyaparasthara Sangha gathered near the work place and forced the contractor to stop the work.

The agitating mob under the leadership of Mijar Jagadeesh Shetty asked the contractor Prakash not to dig the Lalbagh-KSRTC road before completing the concretisation work between KSRTC and Bejai road.

Finally, the contractor bowed to agitators’ demands and stopped the work and agreed to start the work only after finishing KSRTC-Bejai road work. Road which was already dug was restored filling soil using excavator. Contractor also assured that the road between KSRTC and Bejai would be completed within March 11.

MCC executive engineer Rajshekhar Reddy clarified to mediapersons that he had already directed the contractor to finish the KSRTC-Bejai road before starting the Lalbagh-KSRTC road work.

Meanwhile, traffic police inspector Balasubramaniam told reporters that neither the Corporation nor the contractor had intimated the department.