Mayor writes to PM: MRPL must repair Suratkal-Kana Road

Mayor writes to PM: MRPL must repair Suratkal-Kana Road

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 17, 2016: According to a report circulating in the media, Mangaluru Mayor Harinath has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the MRPL,  Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd to repair the Suratkal- Kana-MRPL Road.  The letter from the mayor’s office was dispatched to the PMO on Oct 15, Saturday, a copy of which has also been sent to MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Mayor Harinath said the heavy vehicles travelling to and from MRPL are the reason for the bad condition of the road. “The road has developed huge potholes and the general public have been staging protests, demanding repair of the road. When we sought the help of the MRPL to repair the said road, they said that they cannot take up repair under CSR activities. It would require at least Rs 3 crore for the repair of the road,” said Harinath.

Mayor added that the company should accept the responsibility of repairing the road. The mayor said that about 90% of the heavy vehicles plying on the road are operating to and from the MRPL factory. The surface of the 4.5-km road has broken down at several places. The company should use its corporate social responsibility fund for the purpose, he demanded.

It may be recalled that the mayor, during a press meet on October 4, had warned of sitting on a dharna in front of the MRPL, if the company failed to start the repair work within 20 days.

The MCC, Mangaluru City Corporation had written to the DK DC and the office of the chief minister, drawing their attention to the pathetic condition of the road. The chief minister’s office, in a September 26 letter to the deputy commissioner, had instructed the official to look into the matter.

Following a series of protests by Nagarika Horata Samithi members, demanding the repair of road, the deputy commissioner and the MCC officials had inspected the road recently.

Demanding the repair of the road, the residents had staged protests and padayatras five times in the past. The local organisations are planning to undertake a day-long protest demanding the repair of the road in the last week of October as well.