The members of Pumpwell Melsethuve Horata Samithi staged a protest against the inordinate delay in completion of flyover at Pumpwell, on Monday.
Addressing the protesters, DYFI State President Muneer Katipalla said that the construction work of Pumpwell flyover was taken up eight years ago as part of four-laning of the NH 66 from Talapady to Kundapura. Even after 8 years, the work has remained incomplete.
He said that the negligence by NHAI, elected representatives and poor and unscientific work by the contractors have taken a toll on the passengers who travel on the stretch. The MPs of the two districts are mum about the hardships encountered by the people. They should realise that people would not like to pay toll before completion of the works, he said.
The protesters said the work of widening National Highway 66 had remained incomplete though it missed its deadline long ago. The widening work was unscientific and service roads has not been provided in many places.
The protesters said that the incomplete work on service roads, flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu have inconvenienced the road users. The incomplete work causes traffic congestion on a daily basis, thus affecting college students, school children and office-goers.
Navayug company has failed to take up road maintenance work as well, they said. The NH 66 stretch is filled with huge potholes, inconveniencing the road users. In Pumpwell alone, several motorists have lost their lives due to unscientific and incomplete road work.
Only 60% of the work on four-laning of NH 66 has been completed. In spite of it, the authorities have started collecting toll at four places from Talapady to Kundapura, which is unfair, the protesters said.
The protesters urged the authorities to complete the work on flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu immediately. All the service roads should be completed soon. The work on over-bridge or a flyover should be taken up at Nanthoor Circle, to avoid traffic congestions. The toll collection at Talapady, Surathkal, Hejamady and at Sasthana should be stopped immediately, they demanded.
