JOIN USMP Nalin Kumar Kateel has said that the Thokkottu flyover will be open for traffic from June 10, while the Pumpwell flyover will be dedicated to the nation in first week of August.
The delay in completion of the flyovers at Thokkottu and Pumpwell circles was among the main issues raised by the Congress to criticise Kateel during the run up to the 17th Lok Sabha elections.
Taking stock
Kateel, who won the election with a victory margin exceeding 34,000 votes in Mangaluru South constituency, took stock of the work going on at Thokkottu and Pumpwell (Mahaveer) flyovers on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters atop the Pumpwell flyover, Kateel said, “I thought it was appropriate to be acquainted with the problems before being sworn in on Thursday.”
Further, he said, “The Congress kept highlighting the delay in completion of the flyovers, although I had done whatever possible to expedite the work – even taking officials to task. I had even made then Vaibhav Dange, secretary to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, issue a deadline for completion of the flyover. For the first time, the Centre had facilitated the release of Rs 55 crore to help the cash-starved Navyug company complete the pending work on the stretch from Talapady to Kundapur.”
Work in monsoon
Kateel, after inspecting the work on the flyovers, said that the work will continue even during the monsoon.
Stating that he had instructed officials to prevent water logging and artificial flooding at both Thokkottu and Pumpwell junctions, the MP allayed apprehensions about the height of Pumpwell flyover and declared that the height adhered to international standards (5.5 metres).
Kateel also criticised the state government for holding meetings and planning check dams to solve the acute water shortage problem in the district, saying the ministers had been doing so only to save their seats.
“In Shiradi and other ghat sections, work to prevent landslides has not been implemented. The JD(S) – Congress coalition government is only focusing on saving the government and playing with the lives of people,” Kateel charged.
‘Challenge NGT order’
The MP also declared that the Yettinahole river diversion project by destroying the Western Ghats has caused the worst-ever water crisis in the district. “The Yettinahole project is the biggest scam and was implemented years ago not out of love for people in Kolar district but for money,” he alleged.
In response to a query, Kateel asked activists to challenge the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order on the Yettinahole project by filing a petition in the Supreme Court. “I have maintained that the agitation against the Yettinahole project should remain apolitical and I am willing to extend all help to activists in filing a case in the Supreme Court,” he promised.