Fear of the wild and movement of vehicles hinders work on Shiradi Ghat

Fear of the wild and movement of vehicles hinders work on Shiradi Ghat

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 26, 2015:  The area in the Shiradi Ghat, where construction work is in progress is situated on the periphery of thick forest, wild animals menace is common. Many workers and contractors expressed serious fears like : Often they have to  run for life after spotting leopard and snakes. Further, the stealthy movement of vehicles are only posing hindrance to the work.

The work on the road is carried out from Gundya in Dakshina Kannada district. As a result, the movement of vehicles have been restricted from Gundya to Hassan. Inspite of it, cars, jeeps, two-wheelers, mini buses, and sand transporting trucks continue to ply on the stretch. As a result, the huge machines have to be moved to the side. This has been hampering the work.

 The work on 13.620-km stretch from Heggadde to Kempuhole guest house will be taken up at a cost of Rs 69.90 crore. The work has been entrusted to Ocean Constructions Company. Five layers of concreting work will be taken up in a phased manner. The first three phase has been entrusted to sub contractor Vijayalakshmi Earth Movers.  The work aims at converting flexible pavement (asphalt road) to rigid pavement (concrete). In the first phase, old road will be readied for shoulder development. Later geo textile sheets will be laid. This has been laid to protect the road from water during monsoon. On the top of it, granular sub base will be laid. Above granular sub base, dry lean concrete will be laid. All the work is taken up under the guidance of NH, said representative of Vijayalakshmi Earth Movers. "We have taken up the work on granular sub base and we are completing one kilometre stretch daily. The labourers work from 5 am to 7 pm," he said.

Security has been provided at Gundya to prevent the entry of vehicles. However, the public threaten him and ask him to move the machines to facilitate the vehicles. Malnad Janahitharakshana Vedike Convener Kishore Shiradi said the work on storm water drains are in progress. However, the work on concreting the road is moving at a  snail’s speed. If the work has to be completed within given time frame, then the work should be carried out  round the clock in shifts. Students  face the worst inconvenience following the ban on movement of buses. Without a  disciplined co-operation the work is bound to drag on.