Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (MS)

Kundapur, Jan 6: Vehicles are doing a balancing act on the narrow service road. There is no one to hear the woes of pedestrians. It seems that the pedestrians are totally forgotten in the four-lane work that is being carried out in the city. They do not have a footpath to walk.

Pedestrians cannot even walk on the slabs that are fixed for the underground drainage as the shrubs and pests that have developed during monsoon are not yet cleared by the municipality. In some places the slabs of underground drainage are open and there is a danger of pedestrians falling inside. Many petty shops also have encroached the footpath putting the pedestrians to more inconvenience. The pedestrians do not have any other option than walking on the service road itself which is very dangerous as vehicles also ply on the same.

At present there is a footpath for pedestrians to walk on from the bend at Kundapur college till Vinayaka. There is vacant government land also which is little wide. However, the petty shops have encroached most of the place. Pedestrians have to walk on the slabs that are put on the underground drainage. Even the slabs are not put continuously till Vinayaka. The gaps in between will cause anyone to fall into the drainage. Slab is not put on the drain that is very next to Gandhi Maidan. This is the most dangerous spot.

Footpath can be constructed from Circle to Vinayaka. By using the same slabs that are placed on the underground drainage if the footpath is widened to the right side, it will be very convenient for the pedestrians to walk on. Concerned administration officials have to show interest in this matter.

Many complaints are being heard that there is no footpath for pedestrians in Kundapur city. Even school children are finding it difficult to walk. In addition, many government offices are in this part of the city itself. Villagers who arrive in Kundapur city to go to the offices have to walk on footpath only. But it is really sad that there is no footpath at all.

The flyover work of Kundapur city was to be completed by March 2020. However, due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the same could not be completed. Now, though everything is fine, the company which has got the contract for the work, is not completing the work. Officials of the company have informed the zilla panchayat that the work will get over in March 2021.