Rs. 7.39-crore plan for roadworks

13 January 2007

The maintenance of roads under the purview of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat is set to get a major boost with the body approving an action plan for Rs. 7.39 crore under the 12th Finance (Roads and Bridges) division, at its special general meeting here on Thursday.

The panchayat's engineering division will take up 254 works through which 674.79 km of the 1,047.26 km of roads in five taluks are proposed to be developed.

Clash with officials

Members from Mangalore and Belthangady taluks clashed with the officials over the list of works scheduled for their constituencies. U. Babu Mugera Yernody, a member from Dharmasthala, was particularly vociferous in his protests, saying that the taluk assistant executive engineer had not consulted him while drawing up the proposed works.

Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) A.M. Kunjappa told Mr. Yernody that it had been necessary for the panchayat to approve the action plan and send it to the State Government for its consideration immediately.

He directed the assistant executive engineer to amicably settle the issue with the member.

Members from Mangalore taluk, Shyla Sequeira and Victoria D'Cunha, also expressed their dissatisfaction with the works proposed for their constituencies. The CEO directed officials of the Mangalore taluk engineering division to sort out the issue with the members and ensure that the list of works was forwarded to the State Government. When taluk members requested the panchayat to forward the action plans for their taluks to the Government for approval, the CEO said that the Government only wanted the overall plan for the district.

According to the plan which the panchayat has approved taking into consideration the views expressed by members, it is proposed to develop 149.9 km of road in Bantwal at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.02 crore, 141.65 km of road in Puttur at a cost of Rs. 1.52 crore, 101.3 km in Sullia at Rs. 111.5 crore, 198.44 km in Belthangady at Rs. 2.17 crore and 83.50 km in Mangalore at Rs. 1.55 crore.

(courtesy thehindu.com)