Udupi: Row over Padubidri bypass - Protest receives mixed response

Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Nov 21: The protest called on Wednesday November 20 at Padubidri against government and highway authority’s four-laning work on national highway received a mixed response.

The protest was staged as the authorities have decided not to construct a bypass in Padubidri town as per demand. Union minister for transport Oscar Fernandes in his recent visit to Udupi had said that the decision would be left to the state government, as some section of the people wanted extension of road instead of bypass. The construction of bypass was proposed by the previous government, but the present government decided to reconsider and opted for widening of road on the highway itself instead of going for a bypass, he had said.

Since morning, auto drivers, shops at Kelagina Pete and Karkal road remained open as usual. In town, a few shops remained shut and joined the protest. Taxi and tempo drivers also joined in.

As many as 150 members were part of the protest. After the protest meeting by Heddari Santrastara Samiti, a rally was taken on the highway till gram panchayat office where a memorandum was submitted to president Vijay M Amin and Udupi grade II tahsildar Gururaj.

Gururaj in response to the memorandum assured to pass it on to the authority concerned and to the deputy commissioner. NHAI official Ramachandra was present on the occasion.

Satrastara Samiti members Santhosh Kumar Shetty, Dr Y N Shetty, Dr N T Anchan, Y Gopal Shetty, Vishu Kumar Shetty, Y Sudheer Kumar, Ramesh Achar, Sampath Kumar, Laxmi Narayan, Rajaram, Srinath Heggde, Anil Kumar Shetty, James Dayan Andrade, Arun P K, Budan Saheb, Ganesh Shetty among others were present.

Auto drivers protest against protestors

During the protest, the protestors shouted slogans against auto drivers near the auto stand. Angered by this, the auto drivers parked their rickshaw in front of the police station and demanded justice. Inspector Ajmath who sensed that the situation may turn worse called the auto drivers to the police station and held discussion. Meanwhile, an entrepreneur who shouted slogans against auto drivers apologized for his act.