Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (MS)

Beltangady, Apr 20: The eagerly awaited pre-monsoon rains arrived on Friday night and early Saturday morning, bringing joy to agriculturists and residents throughout the taluk. However, the downpour caused inconvenience for motorists on the Punjalkatte-Charmadi NH 73, which has been under development for the past year.

Due to ongoing construction work, the road was dug up and covered in mud, creating sludge with the rainwater and rendering it virtually impassable. Motorists found themselves struggling on this stretch, with many two-wheeler riders skidding and sustaining injuries on Friday night. The traffic was severely affected on Saturday morning.

The contractor and NHAI officials are being held responsible for the poor quality of road work. Typically, road construction involves completing one side of the road before moving on to the other, but in this case, the entire road was excavated simultaneously, leaving no alternative route for motorists. Even ambulance drivers are unable to navigate this sludgy stretch.

At present, the road from Ujire to Mundaje cannot be considered a national highway. Frustrated villagers have decided to stage another protest against the deplorable road conditions.