Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (RJP)

Updated

Mangaluru, May 22: Residents of Mudipu protested against non-repair of a road in the area by blocking it on Monday, May 22.

The road between Mudipu and Muloor stands unrepaired for a long time, residents said.

The unrepaired stretch of the road is 1.5 kilometers long, they informed.

The residents used old wooden gates and planks to block the road. 

As all efforts have failed to bring positive results, some feel that, a road protest blocking the vehicles will send a strong signal to the government. 

The protestors warned that they will continue the protests until the officials concerned and the elected representatives come to the place.

Travellers to Manchi, Ira and Muloor were stranded. BJP block president Santhosh Rai Boliyar visited the protesters at 9 am and joined in the protests. The protesters said that the area was under zilla panchayat earlier and comes under KIADB now. The work has not been undertaken because of their negligence. The protests will continue until the officials come, they said and continued to block the road.

The road constructed 50 years ago was taken over by Karnataka Industrial Development Corporation in 2007. It was under the PWD earlier and subsequently came under zilla panchayat. The road was developed under 'Namma Ooru Namma Raste' project and was repaired with Rs 17 lac from the natural calamities relief fund.

After Muloor was declared as industrial area, though the main road came under KIADB, the department neglected the one-and-a-half kilometre road from Mudipu to Muloor and constructed a four-lane road at Muloor, a place with very little population. "The 1.5 kilometre road is narrow and full of potholes. The edges are worn out and there are ditches on either side. Two-wheelers cannot pass if a heavy vehicle arrives from the opposite direction. If the two-wheeler and three-wheelers get off from the tarred portion, they fall. Several accidents have already occurred here. The complaints to the department concerned have yielded no fruit," they said.

The protests were scheduled to continue the protest till 6 pm. Zilla panchayat member Mamatha Gatti arrived at 11 am and tried to pacify the protesters after speaking to the officials. But the protesters did not budge. The department official finally arrived at 12 noon and assured that the work would be started on Tuesday May 23 itself. The protests were called off after the assurance.

BJP block president Santhosh Kumar Rai, taluk panchayat president Chandrahas Karkera, member Navin Padalpady, Haider Kairanagala, local leaders Radhakrishna Rai, Dayananda Rai, T G Rajaram Bhat, Suresh Kothari, Abdul Aziz, Shivanna and others participated in the protests.