Udupi: Autorickshaws block and protest on Malpe Road

Udupi: Autorickshaws block and protest on Malpe Road

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, July 23, 2015:  More than 200 autorickshaws  blocked Malpe Road for about 15 minutes at Karavali Junction on July 22.  Talking to protesters, K. Ramesh Shetty, president of the Ashrayadata Auto Union, said that a stretch of about  200 m of road from Karavali Bypass junction towards Malpe was in a very bad way.

The stretch was full of potholes, it was made worse by the heavy rain that lashed the city some days back.  Autorickshaws find it dangerous and difficult to drive on such roads.  Pedestrians have to cross this stretch with great difficulty and there were frequent accidents and  jams during peak hours.

The road connects National Highway 66 to the Udupi-Malpe Road, which had since been upgraded to (Udupi-Tirthahalli) National Highway 169A. When the union made a representation to the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC), the council ignored the matter saying that it did not come under its jurisdiction.

If  authorities do not repair this stretch within 10 days,  autorickshaws and other vehicles will be parked to block the road here.   Union office-bearers Keshav Sherigar, Shivananda Moodabettu, Abdul Hameed, Sadhik S., Chandrashekar Poojary, Harish Devadiga, Sadhik K., and Kiran Suvarna, were present.

MLA’s action :   MLA Pramod Madhwaraj,  said that he had contacted the Executive Engineer of the National Highways Department, who had promised to repair the stretch immediately after the rains receded. The widening of the Malpe-Karavali Junction Road was the responsibility of the National Highways Department now.