Congress activists here on Wednesday staged a protest against the delay in completing flyovers on NH66 at Pumpwell and Thokkottu junctions. Ivan D’Souza, MLC, and J.R. Lobo, former Mangaluru City South MLA, led the protest.
Addressing the protesters, Mr. Lobo said the slow pace of building the two flyovers and the overall road road widening work between Talapady and Kundapura reflected the “incapacity of Nalin Kumar Kateel, Member of Parliament.”
He alleged that in the last 10 years of his term as Member of Parliamnent, Mr. Kateel has failed in working for the development of Dakshina Kannada.
Seeing the present pace of work of the National Highways Authority of India, the ongoing widening work of NH66 would take another five years for completion.
Questioning claims of Mr. Kateel as being the No.1 MP, Mr. D’Souza said: “If this (ongoing NH widening works) is any yardstick, imagine ranking other MPs”.
Unlike other MPs, Mr. Kateel has failed in getting grants of the Union government for development works of Dakshina Kannada, he alleged.
The protest was carried out at Pumpwell junction without obstructing traffic movement. After raising slogans against the Union Government, the activists burnt the effigy of Mr. Kateel. Police were in large numbers to regulate traffic and maintain order.
