Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Sep 21: The district Congress staged protest over the delay in executing the Kadri Park road development work at Kadri Park here, on Monday September 21.

Addressing the protestors, former MLA J R Lobo said, “The condition of Kadri Park road is very pathetic and even after six months since the work was taken up, the road development work here is witnessing slow progress. During the tender process, the estimated cost was mentioned as Rs 4 crore under the Smart City project which has now been increased to Rs 12 crore.

“There should not be any kind of money squandering in projects undertaken. Kadri Park is a tourist place, and this is a road which is not meant for vehicular movement. The concerned should keep an eye on upgrading this road as it is a tourism spot and there is a need to provide basic facilities. Even the seating facility inside the park is in bad shape. The musical fountain and toy train which was inaugurated long back have stopped functioning since long. There has been excessive spending of money in several development works in the city.

"The then Congress government had sanctioned projects, worth crores of rupees which are now being shabbily implemented. The local MLA has completely failed. The BJP government should complete all development works at the earliest or else Congress will stage protests at the development works sites across the city," he warned.

Former mayor Mahabala Marla said, "When J R Lobo was the MLA, the development works were carried out in a systematic manner. Now the development works are being undertaken at snail's pace. In case of drainage, electric works, water supply etc, there has to be a system of tender, but these works are being undertaken separately."