Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, May 25: Residents of Hejamady village urged the concerned suspend the works, and resume the construction of tollgate near Hejamady Guddeyangadi only after meeting their demands like drinking water supply, provision of street lights, and construction of three bus shelters.

Currently, the tollgate is located on national highway 66 at Hejamady Bastipadpu. Taking advantage of an existing road via Guddeyangadi and Kannagar, many vehicles have been moving on this road that connects national highway beyond the tollgate, and thus depriving the tollgate operators of legitimate revenue. Navayuga Company, which manages this tollgate, had begun to dig the PWD road to build tollgate there two years ago but the gram panchayat had opposed the move. The panchayat had demanded that the company should meet certain basic requirements of Hejamady village before going ahead with tollgate construction.

Bending under pressure, the district administration had made the company to suspend the work and promised the village to provide basic amenities as demanded. None of these demands have been met. Since the last two days, as per permission obtained from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), tollgate construction has been undertaken at Guddeyangadi. Hejamady gram panchayat president, Vishalakshi Puthran, vice president, Sudhakar Karkera, gram panchayat members and villagers went to the spot and urged the concerned to stop tollgate work.

The policemen, on this occasion, obtained a copy of the proceedings recorded at the special Gram Sabha convened on October 23, 2017, in the presence of project director of NHAI, Vijayakumar Samson and other officials, and sent the villagers away by promising to speak to the concerned.

Padubidri station house officer, Sathish, clarified that work on tollgate cannot be suspended as district administration has given its consent for the work. He asked the gram panchayat president to approach the deputy commissioner of the district. Vishalakshi explained that the gram panchayat and villagers are not opposed to development. She said that at a meeting attended by the deputy commissioner, the deputy commissioner had orally instructed the company to meet certain demands of the villagers which had been conveyed to the deputy commissioner who was present at the meeting.

Taluk panchayat member, Renuka Puthran, former member, Sachin G Nayak, gram panchayat members and others were present.