Pics: Adithya Aithal

Daijiworld Media Network – Kaup (TP)

Kaup, May 21: Unscientific development works along National Highway 66 continue to spark traffic nightmares across the region, with Katapady Junction emerging as the latest congestion hotspot.

The heavily-used junction, which sees thousands of vehicles pass through daily, has turned into a bottleneck, severely affecting commuters. In response, authorities have approved a Rs 17 crore underpass project to tackle the crisis.

Katapady Junction is a critical intersection where four major routes converge — Udupi-Mangaluru and Mangaluru-Udupi on NH-66, along with Shirva-Katapady, Manipur-Katapady, and Kote Mattu-Katapady roads. This convergence creates regular gridlocks, especially during peak hours. On several occasions, vehicle queues have stretched up to 3 kilometres, severely hampering traffic towards Udupi, Mangaluru, and Shirva.

The traffic problem is further aggravated by the presence of community halls, religious institutions, schools, and markets in the vicinity. Events like weddings, festivals, and school hours only add to the daily chaos, posing challenges for motorists and pedestrians alike. Despite police efforts to streamline the traffic, the congestion remains largely unmanageable.

Amid rising public outcry, an underpass has been sanctioned to ease the situation. MP Kota Srinivas Poojary recently visited the junction to review the traffic scenario and confirmed the approval of the project.

“The tender for the Katapady underpass was cleared in March 2025 at an estimated cost of Rs 17 crore,” said MP Poojary.

“The structure will stretch 275 meters on either side of the junction, have a height of 5.5 meters, and will feature an architectural design inspired by the Kinnimulki Gopura. The project has been assigned to the National Project Company. I’ve instructed officials to complete service roads on both sides to facilitate vehicle movement during construction. As the monsoon has begun, work will start in October and is expected to be completed within two years,” he said.

Deputy commissioner Dr K Vidya Kumari also weighed in on the timing of the project. “Several infrastructure works are already ongoing on NH-66, including an underpass at Santhekatte and embankment work at Ambalpady. Traffic has already been diverted at those points, with police deployed to manage flow. Launching the Katapady work now would only worsen the situation. Although the tender has been approved, construction will begin after the monsoon,” she confirmed.

Nithin, a longtime Katapady resident, expressed both relief and concern. “We’ve been facing traffic congestion here for years. During the initial phase of NH construction, locals had demanded an underpass, but subsequent design changes made things worse. When we approached former Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje, she took a special interest, allocated grants, and helped resolve technical issues. Now, MP Kota Srinivas Poojary is showing the same commitment. Since traffic converges here from four directions, an underpass is the only real solution. The police are doing their best, but the sheer traffic volume is overwhelming.”

With the monsoon pushing the construction schedule to October, commuters will have to endure a few more months of inconvenience before relief arrives. Authorities remain hopeful that the underpass will bring long-term improvement to the region’s traffic management.