Kundapura: “The highway work is kept pending since 9 years with the lame excuse of rain. If the tollgate is mobbed and toll collection is stopped the contractors will fall in line,” screamed public, highlighting their unhappiness over the inordinate delay in the highway work, at the interactive meeting that was chaired by assistant commissioner (AC) T Bhoobalan at the auditorium of Kundapur taluk panchayat on the subject of ‘Traffic Management and Road Safety’.

The auto rickshaw drivers complained that there is a lack of parking space in the town. Fine is being levied without assigning proper parking place for public vehicles. Vehicles that are parked in front of the shops are fined but the builders who have built the buildings without making provision for parking space are not taken to task. There was a suggestion to introduce paid parking. Replying to the suggestion, Gopalakrishna Shetty, chief officer of the town municipality said, “There is ample space near junior college. If AC permits, we will draft a plan.”

“There are about 20 banks inside Kundapur city and their parking space is filled by the vehicles of their staff. There should be a policy for customers’ parking in the vicinity of the banks. Buses should be asked not to park in front of board high school,” said some of the people in the meeting.

Private bus owners objected to the issue of KSRTC buses entering the bus stand that is inside the town and said that a complaint has been already given to the Lokayukta with regards to this issue. AC Bhoobalan who verified the decision given by the Lokayukta said that there is no mention prohibiting the entry of KSRTC buses to the city bus stand in the order.

“There is a traffic problem near Kundapur Gandhi Maidan. The reason is those who come to the maidan for walking are parking their vehicles on the road near the maidan. There will be no traffic problem if they come by walk from their residences. Fuel can be saved and they will be able to walk more,” suggested a citizen.

When the issue of movement of rural auto rickshaws in the city area was raised, B Dinesh Kumar, DySP, said that separate colour coding stickers will be given to differentiate between rural and town auto rickshaws.

The DySP also clarified that the loading and unloading of vehicles is not permitted between 9 am to 6 pm within town limits. Dinesh Kumar also said that verification of vehicle records of government as well as private buses will take place on August 13 and buses which do not carry proper documents will be barred from operating.

There was a public outcry in the meeting regarding the non-completion of flyover work near Shastri Circle, underpass work near Murukai, Basrur is not yet started. It is not possible to travel from Murukai to KSRTC. Public also opined that the Navayuga Company is not at all bothered to continue the work.

The concerned official of the Navayuga Company in reply to the public outcry said, “The works will be completed before May 2019. The service road is ready. Once the rainy season is over, we will do the work of filling mud.”

AC Bhoobalan instructed the Navayuga Company to complete the flyover work and open the same for traffic by April 2019.

DySP B Dinesh Kumar warned the company not to create a situation where in the public will get agitated and mob the tollgate.