Mangaluru :  Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Capt. Brijesh Chowta said on Thursday that he is hopeful that 90% of National Highway 75 widening work between B.C. Road and Periyashanti is likely to be over by this May end.

Talking to reporters after inspecting the four-lane project, Capt. Chowta said his first priority is to ensure that motorable stretch is ready by May end. Work is in slow pace in such places where controlled blasting is underway. Fly overs in Kalladka, Mani and five other places on the stretch will also be opened to traffic by May end.

The MP directed the project workers to spray water all along the stretch to ensure dust does not fly during work.

The work on developing the Narayana Guru Circle in B.C. Road on the same highway will start from February, the MP said.

The NHAI Mangaluru Office Project Director Abdulla Javed said the NHAI has planned to complete concreting 35.35 km of the 48 km stretch from B.C. Road to Periyashanti by May end.

Elderly Padmanabha Bhat Kedila from Satyakallu village told Capt. Chowta that due to blockage of drain for the road work his farm containing 300 arecanut plantations was submerged in 5 feet water for several days. NHAI officers said the blocked drain will be cleared shortly.

Similarly, residents of Kadambu village complained about blockage of the natural drain during rains. It led to water logging during the last rainy season in which one house collapsed, they said. Shekar from Budoli village said run off water was entering his house frequently following heavy rains.

Residents of Amai wanted improvement of the road connecting the National Highway to Kadeshwalya temple, which has become bumpy.

The MP assured of building protection wall and widen the road that joins the highway from Srirama School in Kalladka. Residents of Surikumeru expressed the need for a foot over bridge to cross the busy widened highway.