Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Udupi , Oct 12: The sub-divisional officer-cum-assistant commissioner of this subdivision, T Bhoobalan, has served an order on Navayuga Udupi Tollway Private Limited, instructing it to complete the construction of underpass at Karavali Bypass Udupi and flyovers at the Shastri Circle and Basrur circle in Kundapur by specified time.
The underpass has been ordered to be completed by November 1 this year, while time till April 1 next year has been given for the two flyovers.
He passed this final order after conducting hearing in a case filed under section 133 of Criminal Procedure Code on Wednesday October 10.
DC Priyanka Francis visited Kundapur later at night to inspect work
Navayuga had been given contract for the work on September 5, 2010. The assistant commissioner (AC) had received several complaints mentioning that although road work has been completed, service road, underpass and flyover works have not been completed, and this situation has been giving rise to traffic snarls and accidents. The AC had served notice to the company seeking reasons as to why case should not be registered against it and why tollgate at Sasthan should not be shut down. Executive engineer of the company, Raghavendra, who appeared for the hearing on June 6, had said that initially underpass was meant to be built at Shastri Circle, which was later changed into flyover. He stated that underpass at Basrur circle was sanctioned on April 2 this year. Karavali bypass is delayed because of shortage of sand, delay in issuing permission for acquiring sand and stones etc. He said that road development in Padubidri was delayed because of delay in land acquisition.
National Highways Action Committee had alleged that the company had not provided service rods at various places like Brahmavar, Sasthan, Saligrama, Thekkatte, Kallianpur, Katpadi etc and that the drains provided have been incomplete and haphazard. It said that even after land acquisition process was completed in Brahmavar, buildings like Rotary Club and Sridevi hall have not been cleared, and flyover work at Kota and Brahmavar have not been properly executed. Traffic blocks are occurring because of incomplete works near bus shelters, and incomplete works at Kaup are causing accidents. They also said that toll collection at three places within a distance of 150 km was wrong, but the company said it is doing everything legally.
The AC had earlier asked the head of civil engineering department in National Institute of Technology Karnataka to check the work and provide technical report.