Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje/Abhijith Kolpe/Shine Raagu

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Jan 31: MP Nalin Kumar Kateel along with Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, inaugurated the Pumpwell flyover here on Friday, January 31.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said, "Today Pumpwell flyover has been inaugurated. In the year 2009, I became member of parliament (MP) for the first time. Then, several development works of national highway had been took up, the tender was given for the development works of the stretch between Talapady and Kundapur. At the same time, the BC Road - Mukka development works were pending. After I became MP, the work was executed in a speedy manner.

He also said, "Pumpwell and Thokkottu flyovers were pending since a long time. The opposition parties played out lot of dramas to show me in poor light. This project was sanctioned when Oscar Fernandes was the minister of National highway. Why the oppositions did not initiate the work of Pumpwell flyover when their own leader was the minister for National highway?" he questioned.

Those who were criticizing now are the ones who brought stay order from the court with regard to the land acquisition for the Thokkottu flyover. Despite giving compensations the building, the owners had not yet vacated. There was lot of legal problem due to the delay of flyover," the MP explained.

He also said, “The then MCC administration did not give permission to shift the Kalasa from Pumpwell and in the year 2015 November permission was given to shift the Kalasa and to take over the national highway works.

The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has entered into an agreement with Navyguga as per which they have to invest the money, after the 95% completion of the work tollgate has to be erected to collect the invested money. Navayuga also faced financial problems, for which Rs 59 crore debts were given through Axis bank for the completion of the work and gave the date of May 31 last year, but there was again delay due to the demand for underpass then monsoon arrived. Later 31st December deadline was given for the completion," he added.

"I will give another chance to Congress to conduct Padayatra to Ullal to the place where 100 houses are still pending for completion since many years. Pumpwell flyover did not result in injustice to the poor, but Congress has done injustice to the poor. When questioned about the dates for the completion of Pumpwell flyover at the parliament the answer received from the union government was June - July 2020, but we managed to finish six months ahead of the said deadline for which I have to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national highway minister Nithin Gadkari,” Kateel said.

He further said," the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh entering into an agreement with Navayuga, then MCC Congress administration, then MLA and district in-charge minister and Congress are the reason behind the delay of Pumpwell flyover. The actual work of Pumpwell flyover was started in the year 2017, after MCC agreed to shift the Kalasa, in the year 2016 November. If Congress had concern towards development, keeping all the politics aside they should have come for the inauguration of Pumpwell flyover, he felt.

"This is not an answer for those who entered politics through backdoor and for the criticisms i faced, but i want to dedicate this to the people who blessed me over the years. I thank everyone who criticized me and the trolls for giving me so much of publicity which worked as boost for me to continue my good works," concluded Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Mangaluru (South) MLA Vedavyas Kamath, Puttur MLA Sanjeev Matandoor, Mangaluru (north) MLA Dr Bharath Y Shetty and others were present.