Date:23/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/23/stories/2008082359710300.htm

Karnataka

September 10 deadline set for starting highway repair work

Staff Correspondent

Activists vow to take up the work themselves if authorities fail to respond

Department likely to start repair work by
August 30
‘Movement of ore-laden lorries has damaged
the road’

RAISING THEIR VOICE: Members of Save NH 17 Committee blocking the highway in protest against poor condition of roads at Heroor village in Udupi district on Friday.

Heroor (Udupi district): The Save National Highway 17 Committee, an umbrella organisation comprising various voluntary organisations and representatives of political parties, has called for indefinite blockade (“bandh”) of national highway 17 in Udupi district, if the Department of National Highways fails to start the repair work by September 10.

Speaking to presspersons in the middle of National Highway 17 here on Friday, convener of the committee B. Govindaraj Hegde said that the stretch between Sasthan and Santhekatte in the district was in a poor condition. Several accidents had occurred.

‘Least concerned’

Appeals to officials, people’s representatives, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC president Sonia Gandhi and president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) L.K. Advani and some State leaders had proved futile. “No one is bothered about the condition of the highway, least of all the department itself,” he said.

Mr. Hegde said that after September 10, the committee members would themselves start repairing the highway by collecting donations from voluntary organisations and entrepreneurs. However, the highway would be closed during the period when the repair work would be under way, he said. “Although the department has promised to start the repair work by August 30, we are circumspect because there is no sign of such an activity. After September 10, we will not write to officials but start a civil disobedience with public support. Let the department announce that it does not have money for repair work, we will do it ourselves,” Mr. Hegde said

Ore-laden lorries

He said that the movement of overloaded ore-laden trucks had damaged the highway. The committee would decide on how to deal with these overloaded trucks before September 10, Mr. Hegde said.

Congress leaders Bhujanga Shetty, B.N. Shankar Poojary, BJP leaders B. Sudharkar Shetty, B. Suprasad Shetty, Jnanvasanth Shetty, president of executive committee of Nagarjuna Virodhi Horata Samiti Vijaykumar Hegde and secretary of Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samiti Nityananda Volakadu were present.

The members of the committee blocked the movement of vehicles on National Highway 17 for 20 minutes.