Demanding the repair of pothole-filled National Highway 66 stretch between Honnakatte, Bykampady and Kuloor, the Mangaluru North Youth Congress members staged a protest on Monday.
MLA Mohiuddin Bava said that the NHAI has failed to initiate measures to repair the stretch on NH-66, and toll collection at three checkpoints on this highway is looting people, since no maintenance work is done. He urged the authorities to close the toll plaza near Surathkal and Bantwal.
Stating that the road has been constructed in an unscientific manner and it takes longer to reach Mangaluru, he said the road is filled with potholes and the authorities have failed to fill the potholes.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel who travels on this stretch has neglected the potholes.
District Youth Congress President Mithun Rai said that the Youth Congress is against the collection of toll for the pothole-filled stretch on NH 66. The toll plaza at Mukka in Surathkal should be closed. The members will carry out protest till the road is repaired and proper service roads are constructed.
Women Congress secretary Prathibha Kulai said, "Though Nalin Kumar Kateel claims that he is number one MP, looking at the condition of the national highway, it make us wonder."
The protesters expressed their anger at the pathetic condition of the road by playing cricket on the highway.
When they demanded the NHAI authorities to arrive at the protest site, NHAI Engineer Ajith visited the protesters and said that a sum of Rs 8 crore has been released for the repair of the highway. The contractor has been asked to start the repair work before December 15.
