Mangalore: NH 17 badly in need of repairs

DHNS

Mangalore, 31 August 2010: The authorities concerned may be heaving a sigh of relief with the good rainfall but Mangaloreans’ woes have increased with monsoon battering the city. 

 
Be it National Highway, State Highway or ZP roads, the condition are all same. The NH-17 stretch from Pumpwell to Thokottu in Dakshina Kannada, Pavanje, Udyavara, Pangala,Kalsanka, Hejamady in Udupi district are filled with potholes.

In fact, the poor condition of National Highway 17 in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts has drawn the attention of Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia during his visit to Manipal in November 2009. In his convocation address, he did mention the poor condition of NH-17.

Many passengers feel that there is no road between Pumpwell and Thokkot. One can find only potholes.

 “Don’t ask me which road is bad. Tell me which road is good in Dakshina Kannada district. The condition of NH-17 between Talapady and Mahaveera Circle is bad in every stage,” says Anil, a  daily commuter .

The patch work on National Highway from Pumpwell to Thokkottu in April-May did not make any difference as the road has developed huge potholes at every step.

 In fact, potholes are posing threat to the vehicle users. The vehicles move slowly on the stretch, thus resulting in traffic jams in the peak hours. Many a times, buses fail to maintain the timings and as a result, they cancel their trips, thus putting passengers into hardship in many interior places of Mangalore.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, National Highways Mangalore division Executive Engineer Krishne Gowda said that NH 48 is not as bad as NH 17 in Mangalore limits, which  was repaired four years ago in 2006. The density of the traffic is more on this stretch which is affecting the condition of the road.

In fact, the NH gets Rs 35,000 to repair per kilometre of road. With this amount, the department has to fill the potholes, construct drains if needed, and carry out patchwork, said officials at NH.  During the rainy season, the NH will have to fill the potholes with gritstone and quarry dust.

Unfortunately, it gets washed away in the rain and it causes dust problem when there are no rains, he added.

The potholes will be filled as soon as the rain recedes in the region. Moreover, Nantur-Talapady National Highway will be converted into four-lane and tender has been given to Navayuga Constructions, who will be rebuilding the road.

“The NHAI has not taken over the road from NH owing to the heavy rains. We will fill the potholes and hand over the road to NHAI for four-laning after rain receds in the region,” Krishne Gowda added.

‘EFC clearance required’

Clearance by the expenditure finance committee (EFC) is all that is required to commence the work on the Shiradi Ghat section on the Bangalore-Mangalore NH—48, between Gundya and Sakleshpur.

The proposal, submitted a year ago, has received technical approval, but is yet to be approved by the EFC.