Concretizing of S L Mathias Rd started in Feb 2018 Will It EVER be COMPLETED’ ask Residents
Mangaluru : No matter which party rules the Mangaluru City Corporation, whether it’s Congress or BJP, when it comes to finishing a project, they are in the same boat. Now that the Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) and MCC have just announced that 149 streets/roads will be widened soon- but the question will still remain the same- when will these roads be completed once started or will be they left half done/incomplete- just like S L Mathias Road, we are highlighting in this report. Even though S L Mathias Road boasts of brand new posh high-rise apartments, the builders have turned a blind eye towards the Road which leads to all these residential structures. The S L Mathias road is so pathetic and dilapidated, with huge potholes, footpaths which lead to open ditches (some of them don’t have a start point nor a end point?)- and the residents and citizens who take this Road feel the brunt of all the inconveniences and hardships every single day- and so far nothing has been done to rectify the issue, neither by the MLA Vedavyas Kamath, MCC Commissioner, MCC Mayor nor the area corporator.
If you look back, the foundation laying ceremony for the concretisation of S L Mathias Road at Kaprigudda was held on 2 February 2018, and speaking after laying foundation for the project, then MLA J R Lobo had said that the development of the S L Mathias Road would help in easing the traffic congestion in the Falnir area. He also said the road would be concretised at a cost of Rs 4.42 crores, and Footpaths will also be laid as part of the project. The project envisages concretizing the 950 meter long road, with the width of the concrete road around 40 feet, said Lobo. Exuding confidence that the locals would extend their full co-operation in execution of the project, he said funds for the same have been sanctioned under Premium FAR Fund.
He had further said that Abdul Rauf, area Corporator has been very proactive in carrying out various development projects for many few years, and that he is always there among the people and is available at any time of the day for any kind of help. Well said by J R Lobo, but looking at the present condition of S L Mathias Road, simply doesn’t support his words said on 2 February 2018, and looks just the opposite, that even after two years of the start of concretizing this Road, it still remains incomplete, with lots of work still pending. Is this what we call a ‘Smart Project’ under MSCL and MCC?
It is a shame that such a pathetic road bears the name of Dewan Bahadur S. L. Mathias, K.S.G. aka Saturnine Louis Mathias (1868-1940) popularly known as S.L.Mathias, the First and only Lay Founder Member of CASK, and a well-known coffee planter in the City. After graduating from St Aloysius College, Mangaluru in 1889, he joined his father at Kelagur Coffee estate and in due course acquired many more estates and later acquired 500 acres of forest and planted tea. He continued to be one of the pillars and active members of CASK throughout his life, and an active figure in Mangaluru. If Late S L Mathias finds out that a pathetic and shabby road still bears His name, He would turn over in his grave, being very angry and upset about something that was never expected?
A new motorist or a new pedestrian taking this road will face all the brunt that this Road has to offer, right from potholes, shabby humps, unsafe footpaths-where they will lead you to death, irregular and uniformity path, and what not? And still our elected netas and district officials are proud to boast about this Smart City, when we have such ‘Smartless Roads’ and ‘Smartless Footpaths, which could kill the citizens or visitors. Nothing Less. Nothing More- I guess people will have to bear with such consequences and inconveniences, until a day comes when S L Mathias is FULLY COMPLETED and SAFE to DRIVE and WALK?
