Even a fortnight after monsoon rain — the excuse being given by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for not repairing battered highways around the city — subsided roads continue to remain in the same condition.
“The deplorable condition of National Highway 66 between Nanthoor and Surathkal leaves us wondering whether the NHAI was still expecting more rain,” mused Ravishankar Poojary, a regular traveller on the stretch.
The authority had to take up an emergency road filling work on the eve of Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to NITK-Surathkal on November 2 amid pouring rain that drew flak from the general public. The Baikampady Industrial Area Junction, which received a makeover during this repair, is the only busy stretch that remains crater-free.
The other important junctions and stretches, including the Nanthoor Junction, Padua Junction, Kottara Chowki, Kulur Flyover, KIOCL Junction and Honnakatte Junction, present a pathetic picture with bitumen cover almost absent on the carriageway.
Consequently, movement of vehicles too is affected on the busy highway connecting Udupi. This road also caters to thousands of goods vehicles to and from New Mangalore Port and Baikampady Industrial Area.
The condition of Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75 between Nanthoor and BC Road too is not good. The stretch is dotted with potholes at many locations, including Kannur, Adyar, Valachchil Junction, Arkula, Thumbe and Brahmarakootlu Toll Plaza.
The NHAI had said that tenders had been awarded for repairing the Surathkal-Nanthoor stretch of NH 66 and Nanthoor-BC Road stretch of NH 75 (Mangaluru-Bengaluru) that are part of Mangluru Port Connectivity Project of NHAI at a cost of around ₹ 21 crore. Work however, is yet to start.
