‘Bunder Bale, Malla Malla Gundi Thule’? Shame on MSCL & MCC for naming Kudla a ‘Smart City’.

‘Bunder Bale, Malla Malla Gundi Thule’? (Come to Bunder, and See Big Big Potholes”? Shame on Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) & Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for naming Kudla a ‘Smart City’, filled with Crater like Potholes, especially in Bunder area.

Mangaluru: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) may be some years away from its first manned mission to the moon, but in this developing and advancing City named “Mangaluru -Smart City’- a Education Hub, with intelligent and educated people, it has already raced ahead, readying a prototype lunar surface. Well, all thanks to crater-sized potholes on Mangaluru’s roads, especially those on Bunder Road, which this article is highlighting on. One don’t have to wait years to make their dreams come true to go to the moon and do a moon-walk, because if you take a stroll down the Bunder Road vicinity, you will do the moon-walk on the crater size potholes, adoring the business and trade area. And even though a huge hoarding with pictures of MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and MLA Vedavyas Kamath boast about the development project of Bunder area, unfortunately both these netas have turned a blind eye towards the pathetic and hazardous condition of the potholed vicinity of Bunder area.
Every time people and motorists complain about the increase in potholes during monsoon time, and MCC or NHAI officials who assure to take action and filling potholes on a priority basis- totally lack in doing it. They don’t even care, if motorists are injured or dead, due to these potholes, because no one takes these civic agencies to task, thereby make them liable to pay compensation to victims or their families. As per an advocate “The scope of Article 21 has been expanded by the Supreme Court. Every citizen has a right to a meaningful and dignified life and good roads are absolutely necessary. Ensuring pothole-free roads is a legal and constitutional obligation of any City corporation,”. Then why are our people keeping quite?

Have these two politicians seen the pathetic and potholed Bunder Road around the location of this Hoarding?

While potholes are majorly an inconvenience that the city has grown accustomed to, it has proved in creating inconveniences to motorists and pedestrians, some getting injure, some could be fatal, in multiple occasions as well. It is almost a fortnight now after rain subsided in the coastal region, yet bituminous stretches of roads in the city continue to sport potholes and craters making motoring a nightmarish experience for citizens. While many arterial roads in the city have been concreted over the past few years, several stretches still continue to be bituminous roads, including Hampanakatta Junction, Karavali Junction (Kankanady) to Pumpwell (Bhagwan Mahaveer) Junction, Morgan’s Gate to Jeppinamogaru, besides the sub-arterial and inner roads.

Incoming and outgoing vehicles to and from the central business district crawl at Hampanakatt Junction. While speed breakers at this location have crumbled, road surfaces have developed huge craters. At present wading through Bunder area is a herculean task, and if you a two-wheeler rider, your ride will be bumpy one akin a ride on a camel- and chances are you may skid and fall on the slushy potholed surface. Even though MCC Mayor or MCC Commissioner or MCC officials say that the corporation has already taken up pothole-filling work and fixed many as of now- that is all bull@#$%?. Even though the Bunder area is getting upgraded, but MCC or Mangaluru Smart City Ltd should see that pedestrians and motorists don’t face hardship moving in these potholed roads.

Naresh Shenoy, a trader in Bunder speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “This is ridiculous for us, to travel on such nasty and pathetic roads filled with potholes and mud, and put our lives in risk. Wed all voted for BJP in the last election, in order to experience a change in the development of Bunder area, however all our hopes are shattered. BJP ruled MCC now is much worse than the earlier Congress ruled MCC. And MSCL is yet another waste civic agency, which lacks Smart projects. We are totally disgusted with the present condition of Bunder road. Thanks for coming here and highlighting the “BEAUTY” of this road and area”.

Moving on City Streets, especially during monsoon season, one may have to keep guessing whether he or she is in Mangaluru or on the moon, considering the number of potholes, which look like craters in many spots. And every time when such potholes appear, the PWD or MCC crew does a shabby work by doing some patch work with lose concrete but sadly this hasn’t helped as the rains continue to pour and the situation is worsened with gravel scattered all over the areas. And like one Mangalorean said, “Well, this is not the situation due to monsoon. It is a result of wholesale corruption in the PWD, MCC and district administration and its functioning”.

The traffic police blame the potholes for the traffic congestion. The civic authorities blame the monsoon for the potholes- and it’s all in the blame game every year. It happens again and again and again- year and year and year after- and at the same locations of same streets/roads. I am talking about dilapidated roads filled with potholes. Heavy rains, heavy traffic and alternating periods of warm and cold have scarred local streets and the potholes pop up — and this has formed a worse-case scenario for repair crews who are struggling to find and fix all the emerging potholes. But are they doing the job right. I don’t think so. Throwing some loose stuff in a hole and just hoping the traffic driving over it will fix it, will not serve the purpose. And this Bunder road is a perfect example-year after year!

Anyone who has had the misfortune of commuting on this present Bunder road will testify what a great pain the ride is – literally – owing to the numerous potholes that punctuate the road. I bet a ride on this stretch is akin to a ride on a ‘ camel’s ‘ back- just bumpy! Potholes aren’t just a nuisance for drivers; they also constitute dangerous safety hazards that can produce substantial damage to vehicles, force drivers to veer suddenly in traffic, or even cause the driver to lose control of a vehicle after contact. The gaping streets can also damage a car’s alignment and suspension system.

The city crew should take quick action to fix the potholes before they get deep and worse — thereby avoiding severe driving hazards and vehicle damages. So, while waiting for this road to be restored for a smooth ride, all you traders in that area, and those who do business with these traders, just brace yourself because it’s once again pothole season in Mangaluru. And for sure, the MCC nor PWD authorities will not take any action, until a major accident takes place, due to potholes? Until then bear with the potholes or curse someone at the MCC/PWD/MSCL— and still keep driving safe, and walk safe!

And in the meantime when we such pothole-ridden roads, our beloved MLA Vedavyas Kamath instead of taking action in seeing that these pathetic condition roads are fixed, he has gone ahead spending crores of Rupees on fencing Nethravathi Bridge-like its going to help a damn thing-a person who wants to commit suicide will go ahead with his plans, whether there is fencing or CCTV’s ( he could give a smile before he jumps). Not a smart idea to go ahead with this project, when there are other important and urgent civic issues to be taken care of. And a humble request to MLA Kamath is that , just like he is too much concerned about people committing suicide, he should also show a keen interest in taking action in rectifying the potholed roads, which are also harmful to the citizens, who could lose lives, especially motorists! Sir, Kindly keep Fencing/CCTV’s project on Nethravathi Bridge pending, instead see that the potholed city roads are fixed-Thank You?”.

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