Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 7: Dakshina Kannada BJP president, Sanjeev Matandoor, said that the protest organized under the leadership of former MLA, J R Lobo, on the issue of over-bridges at Pumpwell and Thokkottu by bringing together Congress workers, was aimed at reaping political benefit, and not driven by genuine intention. He was addressing a press conference at the district BJP office here on Monday August 6.

"Opposition leaders have been making unfounded allegations against Nalin Kumar Kateel as he has been considered as No. 1 MP. The opposition parties are indulging in mud-slinging towards our party too. MP Nalin is praised for his corruption-free regime. Congress, which is unable to appreciate his achievements, has been resorting to cheap politics," he said.

Matandoor said that the central government had issued orders to conduct over-bridge work at Pumpwell on November 4, 1999. On March 9, 2010, the tender process was done but no work had begun for two years. The then MLA, J R Lobo, district administration and Mangaluru City Corporation had blocked the works on the over-bridge in the guise of change of design. Navayuga began work with lot of delay in 2013. Even then neither Lobo nor district administration followed up with the concerned to speed up this work. The MP then had summoned the contractors and held discussions. Now the contracting company has promised to complete Pumpwell over-bridge in January 2019 and Thokkottu over-bridge in December end. Likewise, five over-bridge works are pending in Udupi district about which Congressmen are tight lipped," he pointed out.

He accused Congress of indulging in character assassination of the MP for the delay in over-bridge work through social media. He said legal steps would be launched against the concerned. He said that Kateel has bought Rs 15,125 crore grant to the district during the last four and half years. Construction of bypass roads at Beltangady, Ujire and Sullia are at the stage of preparation of detailed project report. State highways are being converted into national highways. Under Bharat Mala Scheme, Mangaluru - Bengaluru high speed express national highway is planned at a cost of Rs 1.18 lac crore. Different central government schemes are being implemented effectively in the state, he claimed.

MLA, Dr Bharat Shetty, leaders, Pratap Simha Nayak, Ravishankar Mijar, Kishore Rai, Jitendra Kottary and others were present.