Potholed National Highway turns Death Trap for Motorists of Udupi District

Potholed National Highway turns Death Trap for Motorists of Udupi District

Pics By Ankith Shetty

Udupi: Two months of heavy monsoon downpour has left more than 90 km of the Surathkal – Kundapur National Highway 66 with countless potholes, making driving on the stretch a risky affair. Motorcycles and light motor vehicles are the worst-hit, with potholes emerging as death traps every passing day.

The district which ranks first in education and healthcare has roads ridden with potholes causing severe inconvenience to commuters and motorists. There are a number of accidents on these roads every day and many two-wheeler riders have lost their lives. Motorists fear for their life while traveling on these roads. Two-wheeler riders suffer the most. Even though so many lives have been lost, the NHAI authorities have still not repaired the roads.

Two national highways pass through Udupi district. One from Malpe to Agumbe and another from Hejamadi to Shiroor. The roads in Malpe, Bannanje and Kadiyali are filled with potholes. The roads at the Karavali Junction are in a dilapidated condition. At the Manipal Tiger Circle and MJC, the condition of the roads is even worse. The same condition continues in front of KMC Hospital Manipal and the Parkala area.

Rules are framed for filling potholes and repairing the roads. Section 3000 has been formulated for the repair of roads. Debris and other materials should be cleared from the damaged road, the potholes filled and the roads repaired. But the rules and the guidelines for filling potholes are not being followed.

The National Highway 66 Shiroor-Hejamadi Road has also been damaged with huge potholes. The Highway has tollgates at Sastan, Hajamadi, Suratkal and, Talapady. Motorists pay the toll but the road is not maintained.

Work on the National Highway 66 in Udupi district is moving at a slow pace with an underpass and flyover in Udupi and Kundapur still incomplete. At the same time, the widening of the road within Padubidri and Kundapur town limits is also moving at a slow pace. The road users are being forced to pay tolls at two plazas – one at Hejmady and the other at Sastan.

In Kundapur, about three km of the NH still remains to be widened and the work of the flyover at Shastri Circle is going on at a slow pace. The road from Vinayaka to Sangam has not seen any development over six years while vehicles have to negotiate an uneven path.

Due to the incomplete work of the National Highway, many accidents from Yermal Bridge to Padubidri have been reported. The unscientific and incomplete work of making four lanes on NH 66 has resulted in a series of mishaps in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. A case has already been registered in the Kaup police station against NHAI and the Navayuga Company on charges of poor road work and absence of any maintenance for the road.

A daily commuter Sadananda Kanchan said, “I have been traveling to work by bus. I leave my vehicle parked in my house due to the potholes. The incomplete work of the flyovers on NH 66 in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts have been causing inconvenience to motorists. NH 66 is in a pathetic condition with huge potholes greeting motorists. No efforts have been made to fill the potholes.” “What is our MP Shobha Karandlaje doing?” he questioned.

Recently under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis, a meeting was called at the DC office with the National Highway authorities. During the meeting, the MLC and Opposition leader in the Legislative Council, Kota Srinivas Poojary warned of holding severe protests with the support of the public if irregularities on National Highway passing through Byndoor, Kundapur and, Udupi are not set right within 15 days.”

He also said that the highway is ridden with potholes. The public has been facing a lot of inconvenience due to the inordinate delay in the construction of the overbridge. Accidents have been frequent on the stretch. The problem should be seriously dealt with and the issues solved at the earliest.

The NHAI officials said that the suggested works will be carried out before August 10. The Kundapur overbridge will be completed by March 2019. The work of the overbridge at the Karavali junction will be completed within three months, they said.