Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS/ANK)

Mangaluru, Sep 10: Travelling to the capital city from Mangaluru has once again become a daunting task. It is common for potholes to be created during and after the monsoon season on the stretch between B C Road to Mani. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which has to find a permanent solution to this issue is just making temporary repairs by pouring gravel into the potholes.

The stones and gravel that were used to cover the potholes have come off the roads. The road is completely dusty at many places and it has become very difficult for drivers as well as passengers passing through this route. Most of the two-wheelers skid. Many accidents have taken place when the heavy vehicles try to avoid the potholes.

Though MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had instructed the NHAI officials to close the potholes, the officials have closed the big potholes and left the smaller ones at many spots. Now these smaller potholes have become big and are causing danger to the motorists. In addition, these cause traffic jams also. According to MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, asphalting of national highway will be done only after September or October. But there is no one to hear the woes of the commuters passing through this route. Public is questioning the lacklustre attitude of the people's representatives in this matter.

The public using the roads are irked due to the pathetic condition of the same which make driving miserable and more dangerous. This seems like a never ending problem which arises every monsoon as the roads are filled with deep potholes.

One of the shopkeepers at BC Road said, “Every year there is a problem pertaining to roads at BC Road. The roads are filled with huge potholes. The authorities will not come with a permanent solution and do temporary patchwork soon after monsoon. The patchwork lasts only for about four months. The patchwork done on the potholes come off when the new monsoon season begins. We can witness accidents every now and then especially involving two-wheelers due to potholes.”

One of the auto drivers in Panemangalore said, “During the night it is so difficult to drive the vehicle on the BC Road-Mani stretch. We are unable to see potholes in the night leading to accidents. The vehicular movement will be dead slow here due to the pathetic condition of the roads.”