Jyothi Circle-Bunts Hostel stretch awaits ‘concrete' action

Uneven surface and potholes often lead to traffic chaos

The craters on the road stretch from Jyothi Circle to Bunts Hostel Circle in Mangalore make driving a nightmarish experience for motorists.

“This has been lying here for nearly a month. It is yet to be used for filling the potholes here,” says Vasant Poojary pointing to the heap of stones lying next to his shop off Jyothi Circle – Bunts Hostel Road.

Mr. Poojary, who runs a petty shop, is among the many affected by the worsening condition of the Jyothi Circle – Bunts Hostel Road. “They (authorities) fill potholes with mud and that goes off with one heavy rain. Some potholes were filled last month when Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda was in town,” Mr. Poojary said.

The road is uneven at various points, right from the Jyothi Circle to the Bunts Hostel circle. And all along, the motorists are greeted with potholes. “I had to spend from my pocket to remove the clog at the drain next to my shop and prevent the pothole opposite my shop from becoming a crater,” Mr. Poojary said.

Apathy

The traders lamented the apathy of the authorities in repairing the road. “It has been bumpy for a long time,” said George Menezes from J.P. Lights. Mr. Menezes said the traders had petitioned the Corporation once. “But we did not pursue it further as there was no positive response from authorities,” he said. Though the road stretch was scheduled to be concretised, “we are not sure when it will be done and whether it will address our problems,” he added.

Among the problems caused include stones ricocheting when vehicles move past the potholes. “Several pedestrians and commuters have been hit,' Mr. Poojary said. Mr. Menezes points to the damage of the glass façade of the showrooms at the Trade Centre. “We have to fix the glass ourselves as the insurance policy does not cover such damages,” Mr. Menezes said. The residents have got used to frequent traffic jams on this road stretch. “It takes around 15 minutes to cross the road,” said 60-year-old D.K. Shetty, who works in a bookstore off the road. In the absence of any provision to control the vehicles, the elderly people have a tough time crossing the road, Mr. Shetty said.

Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner K.N. Vijay Prakash said filling of potholes could be taken up only when the rain stopped. “There is heavy flow of water on this road and any material used to fill the potholes goes away,” he said. Mr. Prakash said the work on building a concrete road between the two junctions could be taken up only when an alternative road for diversion of traffic was found.