‘Govt apathy will force people to intensify protest’

Nearly 3,000 to 5,000 people will participate in a protest being organised to demand the tarring of the stretch from Addahole in Shirady Gram Panchayat to B C Road on NH-75 in Nelyadi on Thursday.

“Over 24 organisations extended their support to the protest,” NH-75 action committee, Nelyadi President Fr Varghese K told mediapersons at Patrika Bhavan on Wednesday.

Fr Varghese recollected that their previous memorandums on carrying out repair works submitted to deputy commissioner, officials and MP had evoked no response.

“If officials do not redress our grievances after the protest, people will be forced to intensify their protest by staging roadblocks on NH-75 in Nelyadi,” Fr Varghese warned and sought answers from officials for the delay in completing the road-widening works.

Fr Adarsh Joseph said the 30-month project on widening the existing stretch was awarded to L&T at a total cost of Rs 821 crore in March 2017.

“Two years later, not even 10 per cent of the work is completed,” he charged. “The work initiated so far including excavating hillocks, digging pits are unscientific,” he stressed.

“It appears that the highway project has been abandoned,” he lamented.

Nelyady gram panchayat member Jayanand said many had sustained injuries due to the unscientific digging and poor quality of roads. “Even taxis are refusing to shift such injured people to Mangaluru due to the bad quality of roads,” he said and warned that any deaths resulting from the bad quality of roads NHAI will be held responsible.