Villagers left in lurch as buses stop plying

The Balmane-Kelasunka villagers are in trouble with three buses stopping their service following poor condition of road, in Amasebailu Gram Panchayat limits.

Balmane is 4.5 km from Amasebailu. There are around 60 houses in the village. There are as many as 78 houses in Kelasunka Shyamihaklu and 50 houses in Galipalu, Kerimakki and Hathrapalu.

Majority of the residents belong to Marathi community and earn their living as daily wage labourers and have to depend on bus service to reach Amasebailu. Hundreds of students have to ply to Kundapura for their education.

There were five private buses to Kelasunka in the past. However, owing to poor condition of roads, three buses have suspended their service a month ago.

The remaining two bus owners have already intimated the villagers on suspending the bus service.

Balmane-Kelasunka road was asphalted two years ago. However, owing to the poor quality of work, the surface of the road has been chipped off, causing inconvenience to the vehicle users.

Following the complaint by the villagers, the Zilla Panchayat Baindur engineering division had promised to repair the road. However, the road continued to remain in a pathetic condition.

With the intervention of the villagers, gravels were dumped on the road during monsoon, to facilitate the movement of buses.

When contacted, Gram Panchayat President Ashok Kumar Acharya said that 14 km road connecting Bolmane has been sanctioned under Pradan Manthri Grama Sadak Yojana.

Gram Panchayat former president Soorya Narayana Aithal said that the government should come forward to improve the basic facilities in Naxal infested areas.