Clear all illegal shops by sides of National Highways: Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has instructed officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), revenue department, Mangaluru City and Dakshina Kannada police to ensure that all illegal petty shops and roadside vending by the sides of the national highways in the district are removed.

Chairing the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Nethravathi hall of Zilla Panchayat, he said several illegal shops have come up by the side of the national highway in the district.

People who park the vehicle in front of these shops to purchase have been causing accidents on the stretch. Further, school children are unable to walk on the footpaths due to the encroachments by the shops.

The MP directed the Project Director of the NHAI Abdulla Javed Azmi to submit a detailed report on the encroachment and right of way to the police.

SP Dr Arun K said a joint drive will be carried out based on the report from the NHAI after discussing it with the Commissioner of Police.

Raising the issue, Disha members Rajiv Shetty and Bharath Kumar said that several illegal shops, eateries have come up near Farangipete, Panambur, Surathkal, and other areas in the district.

The illegal shops have also been responsible for dumping waste on the roads. The street vendors are not maintaining hygiene while preparing the food.

DC Darshan H V said that even the help of the revenue department can also be utilised while conducting the survey on the encroachments.

The NHAI project director said that the 14.74 km of fourlaning of the NH 75 from Addahole to Periyashanthi has been completed. There is a litigation of 400 metre stretch. Out of 48.485 km of the stretch from Periyashanthi to B C Road, 40.75-km has been completed. The work is likely to be completed by January end.

Abdulla Javed Azmi said that fencing work has been taken up at Kethikkal. After the landslide at Kethikkal, the NHAI has sought a report from National Institute of Rock Mechanics. Based on its suggestions, the NHAI has commenced the slope stabilisation and protection work, and currently, one benching of the slope is in progress.

The MP directed the DC to convene a meeting to discuss on Kethikkal issue and come out with a comprehensive plan to overcome the problem.

He said that about 60 per cent of the work on the forlaning of the stretch from Savanoor to Bikarnakatte has been completed. About 95 per cent of the land acquisition process on the stretch has been completed. The issue pertaining to the land belonging to Rosa Mistika school is pending in the high court.

MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Naik said that Koragajje Katte at Vamanjoor will be shifted to the new venue. The work on the construction has commenced and will be completed in a month's time.

National Highway Executive engineer Chandrashekar said that the survey on Mani-Sampaje road is in progress.