Members of 25 organisations from Thottam, Hoode, and Bengre areas staged a “rasta roko” demanding immediate repair of the damaged Thotta-Hoode-Bengre Road at Malpe here on Thursday.
The protesters said although they had submitted several memoranda to the various government departments demanding immediate repair for the road, but action was yet to be taken. The departments were giving evasive replies . When all the organisations decided to stage a “rasta roko” on January 12 this year, the district administration suddenly woke up to the problem, they said.
The Udupi tahsildar gave an assurance in writing on January 9 that the road would be repaired within a month. Hence all the organisations withdrew their planned protest. But since action had not been taken, the organisations had to stage the “rasta roko” on Thursday, the protesters said.
The protesters said the Thottam-Hoode-Bengre Road be concreted within 15 days, failing which they would resort to a “rasta roko”. The road, which was at present under the Department of Fisheries, should be handed over to the Public Works Department. Proper drains should be built on both sides of the road. The road should be repaired at a cost of Rs. 1.55 crore as promised by the local MLA Raghupati Bhat, they said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumar rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. He told the protesters that it was impossible for the authorities to take up immediate repair of the road as the election model code of conduct was in force for the byelection to Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency.
The protesters then said the road repair work should begin by March 25, failing which they would launch an intense struggle on April 1.
Udupi Block Congress Committee president Pramod Madhwaraj, Badanidiyur Gram Panchayat president Suresh Shetty, Hussain Kodibengre, Ramesh Thingalaya, Manohar Kundar, Ramesh Poojary, and Yatish Karkera were present.
