Minister upset with PWD for not upgrading Charmadi Ghat strech

 

‘It did not take up work though being reminded periodically’

Mangaluru, 29 June 2015: Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai on Sunday criticised the Public Works Department for what he called their “irresponsible” attitude in upgrading the Charmadi Ghat, the main alternative route between the coast and the hinterlands.

 

The ghat is being extensively used in the wake of the closure of the Shiradi Ghat, the main thoroughfare on NH75, for reconstruction works. Presiding a meeting of the district natural calamity monitoring committee here, Mr. Rai said the district administration had asked the PWD in July last to upgrade the ghat, but the department did nothing.

 

 

Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim said repeated reminders from the administration were not of any help. The PWD woke up only when two Ministers stuck in traffic jam in Charmadi soon after the Shiradi Ghat was closed in January this year and undertook minor modifications, he pointed out.

 

There have been frequent traffic jams on the ghat and commuters were inconvenienced, he said. In the last one week, there had been frequent traffic jams on the Charmadi Ghat with vehicles lining up for kilometres together. Those travelling by buses and other vehicles remained stranded on the isolated ghat stretch in the dense forests for hours together without there any basic amenities, Mr. Ibrahim said. PWD Executive Engineer (NH Division) Nataraj said that the recent traffic jams were due to plying of multi-axle trucks, the monsoon, landslides and tree falls.

 

The administration, however, was not prepared to buy his argument and issued strict directions to set the things right. Mr. Nataraj sought deployment of six home guards in the Dakshina Kannada border as well as Chikkamagalur border.

 

Superintendent of Police S.D. Sharanappa and Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer P.I. Sreevidya were present.