Meeting on NH issues again next week

Meeting on NH issues again next week

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 13,2017: A special general body meeting of the zilla panchayat (ZP) called to discuss issues related to National Highways ended in an hour earlier in the week.

Though there was lack of quorum, the House decided to ask questions to the officers of the National Highways Authority of India, the National Highways Department, and the Revenue Department.

The ZP members were sore that no officers from the Revenue Department attended the meeting.

Later, speaking to media, Dinakar Babu, ZP president, said the members were not satisfied with the responses of the officers and another special general body meeting would be called next week.

When questions were being posed, the NHAI officer couldn’t provide answers as he didn’t know Kannada. Then, Yogendrappa, Project Manager, IRB, translated the questions for S. Vijaykumar, Project Director, NHAI.

Sheela K. Shetty, ZP vice-president, said land owners had not been given proper compensation in Padubidri area. Mr. Vijaykumar said the matter should be taken up with the Deputy Commissioner. If the matter was not resolved there, it should be taken up in the courts, he said.

When Ms. Shetty demanded to know the width of NH 66, the meeting was informed that in non-populated areas, it was 65 metres; in populated area, it was 60 metres; while it was 45 metres in Padubidri town area. The ZP members said this was discrimination.

The meeting was informed that of the 90 km length of the highway, work on 83 km had been completed. Of 48 km of service roads by the side of NH 66, work on 28 km had been completed.

Janardhan Tonse, member, demanded to know if a foot overbridge would be constructed for pedestrians at Ambalpady Junction and Santhekatte-Kallianpur Junction. The meeting was informed that such a proposal was not included in the plan of the widening of NH 66, but would be considered.

Courtesy: The Hindu