Udupi: NH Authorities Urged to Undertake Repairs of Pot-Holed NH 17

News & Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SB)

Udupi, Jul 6: At the onset of monsoon in the coastal district innumerable potholes form along National Highway (NH) 17. The annual repairs to NH 17 from Kundapur to Mangalore get washed away especially during monsoon owing to heavy traffic and poor quality of materials used in repairs.

The motoring on potholed highway poses danger to speeding trailers, long distance passenger buses and cause havoc on motorists. The public also stage protest by road-blockade to draw the attention of NH authorities over the deplorable state of roads most months of a year.

Meanwhile, although the larger stretch of NH 17 has innumerable potholes this monsoon, it seems the NH authorities and district
administration have not woken up to undertake the urgent repairs.  There are instances; a few drivers who are regularly plying their vehicles on NH 17 covered the potholes with gravel themselves on a short stretch of NH 17.

Several culverts along NH 17 are in deplorable condition, while some of the barriers on bridges that are damaged owing to major accidents are not restored, despite many months have elapsed.

Eventhough, the NH development works were sanctioned in 2003, full-scale works are yet to begin. Meanwhile, the NH authorities are still undertaking survey at various stretch of roads, amidst protests against broadening NH 17 and laying of bypass road at a few stretch of NH 17.  Taking into account all these, the development works still remains unfulfilled.

Public are apprehensive that if this trend prevails longer, the state of coastal NH 17 will worsen. The concerned authorities are urged to take early measures to undertake urgent repairs for the smoother traffic on NH 17.