Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 13: Potholes on the national highway have become a nightmare for two-wheeler riders, posing a constant threat and leading to frequent, serious accidents.

On August 12, a 25-year-old man was on his way home on a two-wheeler when he met with an accident on the Padil–Kannur stretch. A pothole filled with rainwater caused him to lose control and fall, leaving him with severe leg injuries. He was rushed to hospital, and his vehicle was completely damaged.

Heavy rain in the evening made it difficult for the rider to spot the pothole or gauge its depth, as it was submerged in water.

This is not an isolated incident. “Every now and then, two-wheelers skid and fall at this very spot. Many riders have been seriously injured, and we’ve had to rush several of them to the nearby hospital. This pothole has been here for over three months, and no repair work has been done. Authorities seem least bothered,” said Rajesh, a local shopkeeper.

While maintenance work is underway on the Surathkal–BC Road stretch at a cost of Rs 26 crore, progress appears selective. Though the Thumbay drainage issue has been addressed and some divider gaps have been filled with cement, pothole-ridden stretches like Padil–Kannur remain untouched for over four months.