A TOTAL DISASTER! Dug Up M G Road in City a NIGHTMARE for Motorists & Pedestrians
Mangaluru: Apart from other locations in the City, like K S Rao road, KSRTC bus stand road, and Lalbagh road, the road that has taken a severe beating is the M G road all the way from PVS Junction till Mangaluru City Corporation building at Lalbagh, and travelling on this stretch of the road has become a NIGHTMARE for motorists and pedestrians. This road has been dug several times in the past, and there has been no stop to it-and now once again we are seeing the pathetic and treacherous condition of the road. No doubt, digging up new concrete roads has become routine in the coastal city, and MG Road is the latest addition to the series.
The busy road stretch has been dug up for the laying of underground cables by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTCL), leading to traffic snarls. Meanwhile, a concrete road at Kodialguthu, an arterial road connecting MG Road, has been dug up again, causing inconvenience to a large number of residents on the stretch. In fact, the concrete road was initially dug up for underground drainage (UGD) work, and now again to replace the interlocks with concrete pavement. Opposition leader in the MCC council, Praveen Chandra Alva, speaking to Team Mangalorean said that the work on the MG road stretch pertaining to KPTCL’s underground cable laying is essential for the city. However, he said that they should ensure that the work does not inconvenience the people.
“The work is a necessity, but the opposition in the MCC council has been insisting that officials ensure that the contractors take up work in the city on a day-and-night basis. Restoration of roads dug up for various utility projects like electricity cable laying, gas pipeline and water supply pipelines must be done immediately,” he said, adding that the issue has been brought to the notice of urban development minister Byrathi Suresh, during a development review meeting during the weekend.
MCC Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur said that engineers have been directed to take necessary precautions while digging up roads in the city. “I have spoken to engineers of the MCC to monitor the underground cable laying work being taken up on the MG Road stretch. Soon after the laying of the underground cable by the power company., the agency is implementing the Jalasiri 24×7 drinking water supply project and will begin laying a pipeline on the MG Road stretch. KPTCL has already paid Rs 1.7 crore before digging up the road, and the restoration work also needs to be taken up together by the two agencies,” he said.
On the Kodialguthu road that has been dug up recently, the mayor said that after the completion of UGD work on the stretch, the road was not restored with concrete pavement. The work is being taken up now to replace the interlocks with new concrete pavement, the mayor said, adding that he will be conducting spot visits regularly to expedite the work. MCC helpline The MCC has begun the work of filling potholes, and patchwork on all roads, in 60 wards of the city. The city corporation has also released the phone numbers of engineers and contractors whom the public may contact for any complaints regarding potholes and damage to roads.
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