Minister in-charge of Udupi and Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport S. Angara on Monday instructed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to ensure that there will be no artificial flooding on the service roads abutting Shastri Circle flyover on the National Highway 66 in Kundapur in the coming rainy season.
Speaking at a meeting called by him in Udupi to review the preparedness of the district administration to face the monsoon, the Minister said that he has received complaints on commuters facing problems in using the service roads owing to the artificial flooding whenever it rained. The NHAI should ensure that drains were constructed scientifically to manage rainwater.
He also instructed the Kundapur Tahsildar and urban local body officials to visit the spot to address the problem.
Mr. Angara said that the NHAI should take all precautionary measures to avoid water logging along the highway stretch in the district.
The Minister instructed the PWD and ZP engineering officials that all roadside drains on State highways, major district roads and village roads be cleaned for the free flow of rain and flood water. Urban local bodies too should not give scope for artificial flooding. If any private parties are found blocking rainwater channels in their private property, legal action should be taken against them under the Disaster Management Act, he said, adding that the government authorities should remove such blocks.
Mr. Angara asked the Forest Department to remove trees that might pose a threat to commuters on the roadside during the rainy season. In case of tree fall, they should be removed at the earliest to allow free flow of traffic. He asked the Fire Services and Emergency Services personnel to avail boats from the Fisheries Department in case of emergencies.
MLAs K. Raghupathi Bhat, Lalaji R. Mendon, chairman of Karnataka Coastal Development Authority Mattar Ratnakar Hegde were present.
