Expressing ire over the alleged attitude of officers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for neglecting construction of overbridges and underpasses at different places in Chitradurga, B.N. Chandrappa, MP, instructed the officers to complete the work at the earliest and also provide necessary infrastructure on highways.
Speaking at a meeting of district-level officials held here on Tuesday, he said that people living on either side of the national highway have been demanding construction of overbridges and underpasses to avoid accidents. But even after several agitations, the NHAI officers have not taken any steps, he alleged.
Zilla panchayat president Soubhagya Basavarajan alleged that NHAI officers have not taken steps for proper maintenance of service roads on both sides of National Highway-4 and these roads have become garbage dumping places.
The MP expressed dissatisfaction against the officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for not providing necessary facilities for tourists at the historical Chitradurga fort. Immediate steps should be taken to provide necessary facilities, he said. The officers of Tourism Department said ample funds are available for taking up development works in the historical fort and officers are willing to take up the works. But the officers of the ASI were not giving necessary permission. The ASI officers said that development works under any funds, including MLAs and MPs, cannot be taken up without the permission of the National Monuments Authority (NMA) on the fort premises. So officers should be instructed to provide permission, they said.
Responding to this, the MP said that the issue would be taken up with the Ministry concerned in the first week of July when the Lok Sabha session begins. The officers of tourism and ASI should also come to New Delhi to convince the authorities concerned about the need for development of the fort, he added.
