Mangaluru, July 25, 2023: On Monday, the Dakshina Kannada district unit of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) organized a protest at Baikampady, urging the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to address the issue of potholes on the NH stretch between Surathkal and BC Road.
The DYFI members issued a stern warning, stating that if the NHAI does not take prompt action to fill the potholes along this stretch, where several road accidents have occurred, and a recent fatality took place, they will hold a series of protests, blocking the national highway.
BK Imthiyaz, the district president of DYFI, held the NHAI accountable for the accidents and deaths that have happened on the national highways. He emphasized the urgent need to fill the potholes and demanded that the NHAI provide appropriate compensation to the family of Titus Ferrao, who lost his life due to a pothole on the national highway. Imthiyaz also called for taking action against officials responsible for their negligence in this matter.
Furthermore, Imthiyaz criticized the failure of people’s representatives to fulfill their responsibilities and the lack of action taken to remove the tollgate structure at Surathkal, even though toll collection was suspended in December 2022. The tollgate’s pillars and structure are posing a threat to motorists, and he urged immediate attention to this issue.
The DYFI district secretary, Santhosh Bajal, raised suspicions about the quality of the national highway between Surathkal and BC Road. He pointed out that the work was carried out unscientifically, neglecting to prioritize quality from the initial stages. Bajal also highlighted the problem of artificial flooding occurring at various places near the national highway stretches due to the absence of proper stormwater drainage systems.