NH17 widening project opposed

NH17 widening project opposed

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, April 15: The members of the Rashtriya Heddari Santrastara Horata Samithi, which was recently formed, organized a protest on April 15, Thursday, during which they urged the government to reduce the proposed widening of NH17 stretch between Nanthoor Circle and Talapady from 60 meters to 45 meters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinakara Ullal, the president of the Samithi, said that the government has restricted the same highway to 45 meters while widening it in Goa and Kerala and wanted to know why the government wants to widen it to 60 meters in Karnataka. 

Political as well as religious leaders participated in the protest against widening the NH17 stretch to 60 meters. The protestors alleged that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had ordered private firms to construct a six-lane expressway. Commuters will have to either pay a tax of Rs 45 to use the expressway or use an ordinary road. Besides, a number of people will lose their property during the road widening process. 

The cost of the four-lane project of NHAI is estimated to be Rs 674 crore and is to be undertaken under Phase 3 of the National Highways Development Project on build, operate, and transfer basis. The contract has been won by the Navayuga-KPCL consortium, based in Hydrerabad. Accordingly, the 90 km stretch between Kundapur and Suratkal as well as Nanthoor and Talapady along NH17 will be widened. 

Mr. Ullal also said that the land mafia as well firms with vested interested are behind the move. He revealed that Rs 608 crore will be lost if 15.7kms from Nanthoor Circle to Talapady is widened, and the compensation will be only Rs 36 crore.  

MLA U T Khader, Fr Melvin Pinto, Mohammed Kunhi, President of Merchants Association Hashir, and others participated in the protest. Shops and commercial establishments were shut down and the highway was blocked in support of the protest.