City mayor warns MRPL to rectify road in two weeks

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 5,2016: Mangaluru Mayor K Harinath on Oct 4,Tuesday warned of a public stir, if MRPL, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited,  failed to repair the road leading to its main unit near Surathkal.

The Mayor  Harinath set a deadline of 20 days for MRPL authorities to rectify the damaged road and said it is their responsibility to set right the civic problem. “The 4.5-km stretch from Surathkal to Kana towards MRPL is in a hazardous condition due to the heavy motor vehicles that use the stretch. It will cost not less than Rs three crore, and it would be better the authorities concerned take up the works themselves,” he insisted.

The mayor, who claimed to have written to the chief minister’s office in Bengaluru, besides the office of the DK DC and the MRPL, said, “The under secretary to the chief minister has already written to the DK DC on September 26, to act on the same and intimate them about the action taken. There is no word yet from MRPL authorities.”

Harinath said, “Some organisations are planning to stage a protest over the issue on October 6. I, along with all the corporators, will join the protest, if the MRPL authorities continue to remain indifferent.” The whip of the Mangaluru City Corporation council Shashidhar Hegde suggested the MRPL to take up the work utilising its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund.

Works due : Barring four works, which are under tender process, all other works launched in the first stage of the nagarothana chief minister’s special grant of Rs 100 crore have been completed. In the second stage, as many as 89 works have been completed against 124 works approved by the council. Of the total 169 works planned in the third stage, 66 have been completed, while the remaining works are under different stages of progress. The works on building footpaths beside prominent and select roads have been taken up. In the later stages, works on stormwater drains will also be launched in phases.

Tenders have been already invited to take up works at the cost of Rs 13.69 crore under 14th finance commission grant. Under state finance commission (SFC) grant of Rs 10 crore too, various works will be implemented, added the mayor.

Flex boards  :  Reacting to queries, the mayor said, “Flex boards will be removed starting  October 12, soon after the conclusion of the Dasara festival, as they affect the visual beauty of the city. Action will be taken in the matter irrespective of political party, as most of the flex boards are erected by various leaders to convey Dasara wish to people.”

Chairman of Public Works Standing Committee Lancelot Pinto said, “While it will take some time to take up works on a large scale, patch works will be taken up within one week.”