Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 29: Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, Krishna J Palemar visited the roads in the city, where concreting has been taken up, on Wednesday October 28. On finding that most of the roads had been partially completed, giving rise to inconveniences to the citizens, he expressed anger at the engineers.

Palemar walked through Pinto Lane, Karangalpady-Market Road and Kadri-Mundala road, accompanied by corporation commissioner, Dr Vijaya Prakash and engineers. The minister later informed the media men, that non-cooperation by the citizens, shortage of skilled labour, court intervention at the behest of a few citizens etc., have been coming in the way of speedy completion of the concreting work. He said that a time frame has been fixed for the road completion for the officials and the contractors.

He did not agree to the suggestion that the ongoing work were substandard. He said that the quality of the works is being got verified through NITK, Suratkal, a reputed institution. He instructed the traffic policemen to tow away the vehicles which are found to be unauthorizedly parked in the 'No Parking' zones, without showing any leniency or concessions to any one. "Do not be worried about the influence the concerned persons might be wielding. I am here to back you," he assured them.

Replying to a query, he said that the contractors found to be showing negligence in executing works, will be added to the black list and the contracts allotted to them would be cancelled. Earlier in the day, he held a consultative meeting with the city mayor Shankar Bhat, deputy commissioner V Ponnuraj, corporation commissioner, engineers, contractors and other high level officials.