Udupi: Protest over NH 66 - Call for Brahmavar bandh gets good response
Ivan Mascarenhas
Pics: Umesh Marpalli / Ivan Mascarenhas
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)
Udupi, Sep 19: The call for bandh by Heddari Ulisi committee on Thursday September 19 demanding flyover on Brahmavar national highway and to protest against the problems created by the widening work on the highway, received huge response with hundreds of people joining hands for the cause.
The national highway was blocked at four places in the gram panchayat limits.
All shops and offices remained closes except for emergency services and supply of essential commodities.
The protest was held at Brahmavar main bus stand. Panchayat members and political leaders were also present and raised their voice demanding flyover in Brahmavar instead of cattle pass.
Local associations and college students expressed their support to the bandh and participated in the protest held at Chantaru, Haradi, Handadi and Varamballi.
Brahmavar Auto Rickshaw Union, Tourist Taxi Union Brahmavar and Barkur, Tempo Union Brahmavar, Small Shops Owners' Union, Building Construction Employees' Union many more unions supported the bandh. SMS College student union also participated in the protest by organizing a rally from SMS College to Brahmavar bus stand.
The national highway authority has proposed the construction of a cattle pass at Brahmavar national highway, which will divide the Brahmavar town, the protestors said, terming it bad for development.
Govindraj Hegde, convener of Heddari Ulisi committee, said, "Earlier we had a strike demanding conversion of national highway from single lane to four lanes, today, unfortunately, we have to call a bandh to protest against the proposed cattle pass which will divide the town. Brahmavar is a fast growing town and may become taluk in the near future, still the highway authority is not ready to contruct a flyover here."
"The highway authority says that they were not intimitated about the demand for flyover earlier, but I have written letters to all departments concerned on behalf of the public in 2011. I also met the deputy commissioner on Wednesday September 18 to discuss the issue. The DC requested to cancel the bandh and give 15 days' time to resolve the issue. In the next two days, a detailed report will be sent to the DC, MP Oscar Fernandes, who is also the transport minister, the PWD and the state government about the need for flyover in Brahmavar and problem created by the cattle pass," he said.
He further said that if political leaders cannot become heroes by getting the flyover constructed in Brahmavar, they should at least not become villains by dividing the town with a cattle pass.
Former MLA Raghupati Bhat said, "When I had look at the highway plan before the work started, I saw that five flyovers were proposed between Mangalore and Kundapur. But later I found that Brahmavar flyover was missing from the list, even though it was mentioned in the original plan."
Tight police security was deployed under the guidance of DySP Prabhudev Mane, circle inspector Prabhu D T, Brahmavar SI, Udupi traffic SI Amanulla and other police officials.
The committee along with Raghupati Bhat submitted a memorandum to the tahsildar after a rally.
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