Road widening snowballs into controversy

 The contradicting statements being issued by the officers are adding fuel to fire. An action committee for widening of the road has also come into existence.

The members of this newly-formed body conducted a press meet in Travellers’ Bungalow here on Tuesday. Giving went to their ire over the delay in widening the road, they warned that the Public Works Department will be liable for all the mishaps that may occur in future, if the road is not widened.

There was an order to widen the road and a few sought legal course by questioning the order in the court. Meanwhile, some shop owners, in view of public interest voluntarily demolished their premises, two years ago itself. However, the shops of the owners who approached the court are still there. Despite an order to demolish them, the officers, obviously buckling under political pressure are dilly-dallying, alleged Rajareddy, proprietor of a medical store.

RSS link alleged

Adding a new dimension, the district secretary of Democratic Youth Federation of India, M P Munivenkatappa alleged that a few people have met some RSS leaders in Bangalore alleging that ‘Communists’ have been harassing them in connection with widening of the roads. “This fact clearly shows the politicisation of the issue and the level to which some have stooped down,” he lamented.

Deadline set

On the other hand, the members of the Action Committee set a deadline of Wednesday night to demolish the buildings. They threatened that in case of failure, they would construct buildings at the  very place where buildings once stood and were demolished after payment of compensation. They also declared a complaint will be lodged against officers who have violated the court orders. They submitted a memorandum to the Assistant Engineer of Public Works Department, B S Narasimha Murthy.

With this, the widening of the road in the town has assumed a new dimension. While one group is arguing that the demolition should be carried out in accordance with the court order, the other is engaged in safeguarding the interest of the shop owners.  The latter is claiming that the widening will be prevented at any cost. The silence on the part of the taluk administration has become an enigma.