<p>The abrupt halt in building National Highway 207, which connects Hoskote and Dobbespet and passes through Doddaballapur taluk in Bengaluru Rural district, has inconvenienced thousands of road users. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The project by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been halted over land acquisition issues. <br /><br />The NHAI, which started building the road for NH 207 in August 2014, suddenly stopped the work in July 2015 as it could not acquire land for a stretch where a part of the road will come up. The landowners have moved the court against the acquisition and the matter is yet to be adjudicated. That means the project cannot be continued until then, said sources in the NHAI. <br /><br />A large number of potholes have emerged on the road due to its poor maintenance. <br />Thousands of light and heavy motor vehicles, moving towards Hindupur, Kolar, Hoskote, Devanahalli, Kempegowda International Airport and other destinations, pass through the stretch where the work is being carried out. Besides, more than 200 trucks laden with garbage from Bengaluru use the road for unloading the trash at waste-processing units located in Doddaballapur taluk. <br /><br />The overuse of the road by heavy vehicles has created pits and potholes between Dobbespet and Moogenahalli, virtually rendering it unusable. Local residents say that passing through the stretch is a nightmare for road users. Many motorcyclists have fallen off their vehicles and suffered fractures while negotiating potholes. C H Ramakrishna, a resident of Doddabelavangala, said that most four-wheeler and motorcyclists preferred to avoid the road at night. The number of people visiting the local hospital for accident injuries has gone up, he added. <br /><br />The Public Works Department (PWD) said it was helpless in maintaining the road. “National highways don’t come under the purview of the PWD. Hence, the PWD can’t take up any project, such as filling potholes on national highways. <br /><br />The government doesn’t sanction any funds to the PWD to maintain or fill potholes on under-construction national highways until works are completed.The PWD is not in a position to help road users,” said a senior officer. <br /><br /> <br /><em>Fatal accidents up on highway<br />Fatal road accidents have gone up sharply on National Highway 207, which passes through Doddaballapur and is in really bad condition. <br />Full of pits and potholes, and construction materials and stones dumped in the middle of the road, the highway has become has virtually become a death trap as accidents have claimed at least fives lives in the past one month. Non-fatal accidents have become far too common. <br />Residents of the nearby Naranahalli village have threatened to block the road, which is used daily by thousands of vehicles, including garbage-laden trucks, if the land acquisition issue is not resolved and the project is not resumed. <br /></em></p>
<p>The abrupt halt in building National Highway 207, which connects Hoskote and Dobbespet and passes through Doddaballapur taluk in Bengaluru Rural district, has inconvenienced thousands of road users. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The project by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been halted over land acquisition issues. <br /><br />The NHAI, which started building the road for NH 207 in August 2014, suddenly stopped the work in July 2015 as it could not acquire land for a stretch where a part of the road will come up. The landowners have moved the court against the acquisition and the matter is yet to be adjudicated. That means the project cannot be continued until then, said sources in the NHAI. <br /><br />A large number of potholes have emerged on the road due to its poor maintenance. <br />Thousands of light and heavy motor vehicles, moving towards Hindupur, Kolar, Hoskote, Devanahalli, Kempegowda International Airport and other destinations, pass through the stretch where the work is being carried out. Besides, more than 200 trucks laden with garbage from Bengaluru use the road for unloading the trash at waste-processing units located in Doddaballapur taluk. <br /><br />The overuse of the road by heavy vehicles has created pits and potholes between Dobbespet and Moogenahalli, virtually rendering it unusable. Local residents say that passing through the stretch is a nightmare for road users. Many motorcyclists have fallen off their vehicles and suffered fractures while negotiating potholes. C H Ramakrishna, a resident of Doddabelavangala, said that most four-wheeler and motorcyclists preferred to avoid the road at night. The number of people visiting the local hospital for accident injuries has gone up, he added. <br /><br />The Public Works Department (PWD) said it was helpless in maintaining the road. “National highways don’t come under the purview of the PWD. Hence, the PWD can’t take up any project, such as filling potholes on national highways. <br /><br />The government doesn’t sanction any funds to the PWD to maintain or fill potholes on under-construction national highways until works are completed.The PWD is not in a position to help road users,” said a senior officer. <br /><br /> <br /><em>Fatal accidents up on highway<br />Fatal road accidents have gone up sharply on National Highway 207, which passes through Doddaballapur and is in really bad condition. <br />Full of pits and potholes, and construction materials and stones dumped in the middle of the road, the highway has become has virtually become a death trap as accidents have claimed at least fives lives in the past one month. Non-fatal accidents have become far too common. <br />Residents of the nearby Naranahalli village have threatened to block the road, which is used daily by thousands of vehicles, including garbage-laden trucks, if the land acquisition issue is not resolved and the project is not resumed. <br /></em></p>
