Concern over delay in completion of highway projects

Highlighting the ordeal that commuters on highways were enduring owing to delay in completion of various road projects, several lawmakers in the Legislative Council on Wednesday urged the state government to take steps to ensure speedy completion of all projects.

BJP MLC Kishor Kumar Puttur pointed out that the journey between Mangaluru and Bengaluru, which could be completed in five hours, was now taking up to ten hours. “In fact, when the Dakshina Kannada MP brought this to the attention of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the MP was informed that the state government had not given clearance for work in the forests, which was delaying work on the highway,” Kishor Kumar said.

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, however, pointed out that work on that particular highway had been under way for the past eight to ten years. He attributed the delay to problems in land acquisition, and diversion.

Echoing the concerns raised by the BJP members, Congress MLC S Ravi said that nearly 37 highway projects across the state were pending for the past 10 to 15 years. “Issues range from lack of service road, no underpass to rude behaviour of those at toll plazas, all of which need to be addressed,” he said. Satish assured members of both parties that they would be invited to a meeting of the National Highways’ Authority of India scheduled next month. “Both the state and Centre are responsible for these projects being delayed, and these issues will be raised at the meeting,” he added.