The High Court on Friday ordered the State government to release the funds required for reconstruction of about 16.50 kilometre non-motorable stretch of Telichery-Virajpet Road which connects Makkuta in Virajpet taluk, Kodagu district, with Kerala - within three weeks. The Court also directed that the work on reconstruction of the road be started immediately.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B S Patil passed an order to this effect, following a PIL filed by M P Kunji Mohammed and C K Mustafa, residents of Virajpet taluk.
The petitioners had sought the Court to direct the State Public Works department to immediately provide enough funds and to repair a 20-km stretch of the road from Makkuta in Virajpet taluk to the Kerala border. The condition of the inter-state road has virtually cut off access between Kerala and Virajpet, they said.
The Executive Engineer, PWD Madikeri, was present before the Court at the hearing on Friday. Government advocate B Sreenivasa Gowda said that the road formed part of the State Highway No 91, and out of the 44.4-km stretch falling under Virajpet taluk limits, 27.9 kms had been improved with funds from the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd.
A proposal for reconstructing the remaining 16.50 km stretch, damaged heavily, was pending approval. A line estimate of Rs 22 crore for entire stretch, including Rs 5 crore estimate for the 16.50 km stretch is submitted long before in December 2006.
Following approval
 Efforts are being made to obtain approval for the reconstruction work and same would be started following approval, he said.
The Bench said, “It is obvious that the road needs reconstruction and it is in public interest that immediate action is taken by Government to allot necessary funds and get the road reconstructed and made motorable.”
The Bench directed the Government to take immediate steps and to release sufficient funds for the road’s reconstruction within a period of three weeks, and to start works immediately thereafter. The Court posted the matter for reporting compliance of its order and for further consideration, to March 3.