1 week Ago
Mangaluru : An action committee has raised concern over the construction of a toll plaza near Sooralpady Masjid on the Mangaluru-Moodbidri-Karkala National Highway-169, located 17km from Nanthoor in the city. While the work on the new toll plaza is in full swing, the Action Committee Against Surathkal Toll Gate has alleged irregularities and unscientific identification of the location of the toll plaza. A delegation of the action committee visited the site of the toll plaza.
Committee convener Muneer Katipalla said that though it has been seven to eight years since the upgrade of the Nanthoor-Moodbidri-Karkala highway began, only 50% of the work has been completed. "The construction work has not yet started on the Nanthoor-Vamanjoor stretch, where people have been facing inconveniences due to frequent traffic congestion. Meanwhile, the hillock near Kettikal has been cut dangerously on the stretch, which may lead to a risky situation.
Residents living in the hilly area of Kettikal have already vacated their homes. Meanwhile, the construction of a flyover near Kaikamba is posing a threat to a market in the area," he said. Further, he alleged that a bypass road is being constructed under the guise of preserving Gurupura town to benefit influential real estate investors who own land in the area.
The cost of the four-laning work of the national highway has been escalated due to the 5-6km bypass road proposal. This may increase the burden on people as the toll fee on the stretch will increase accordingly, he said. The toll gate is 36km away from the Talapady tollgate, 45 km away from the Hejamadi tollgate (on NH-66) and 35 km away from the Brahmarakotlu tollgate (on NH-75).
Hence, the toll plaza at Sooralpady violates the rules about the required distance between two toll gates. It is also being built too close to a masjid, wedding hall and schools, raising objections from the public, Muneer noted. People are apprehensive that the toll collection may begin even before the completion of the project.
There is growing resentment among the public about the authorities concerned not responding to the grievances of locals, he added. Social activist Bava Padarangi, DYFI leader Srinath Kulal, leaders Nonaiah Gowda and Gopal Moolya and Kariya Vamanjoor from the Adivasi Hakkugala Samiti were present..
