Mangaluru: This flyover took some time for its completion but it is my responsibility to tell you exactly why, said BJP state president and district MP Nalin Kumar Kateel after finally inaugurating the long-overdue Pumpwell flyover on Friday, January 31.
Earlier, the MP (accompanied by several prominent BJP leaders including district-in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary) cut the red ribbon and inaugurated the flyover in the backdrop of traditional dancers, drummers, and slogans of ‘Bharat Maata ki Jai’.
Addressing the gathering under beating sunlight, MP Nalin quipped, “You have waited so long for this flyover, what is another few minutes in this heat?” He laid out his reasons for the delay in the flyover project completion by attacking opposition members of the Congress party. “Some people did drama today, it is not wrong. Opposition parties have to create some drama. After all, the poor chaps stood for elections and lost, which pains me. When Oscar Fernandes was minister, why didn’t you get this work done during that time?” he asked.
Providing a brief timeline of the project, Nalin said, “This flyover was ideated in 2004 and the tender was issued in 2010. As the work began, whoever is criticizing (the flyover) now had gone to court and brought a stay order on the flyover. I won’t tell their names. It became a legal dispute, which party brought the stay order from court? You can file an RTI and find out.”
Nalin further disputed that the flyover has taken ten whole years in the making, which has been a point of contention even amongst the public. “Until 2015, the MCC (led by the Congress) did not give permission to the construction authorities. That is why I want to tell everyone that this is not a flyover that has been delayed by ten years.”
He also took shots at former Congress MLA J R Lobo and said, “The MLA at that time did drama. He demanded a change in the flyover design, not because he cared for the Mahavir Circle or the flyover. He fought for a pathway to the Father Muller Hospital and the masjid opposite to it. There is nothing wrong with that, we should allow it as it is a hospital.”
“At that time itself, all this trolling started happening. But I said even if we get trolled, we will continue our work,” he added.
It can be recalled that the continually delayed project had led to creative jibes, incessant jokes, and witty sarcasm on the issue with frustrated Mangaluru residents even holding mock inaugurations, mock “birthday parties”, and social media campaigns such as the #tenyearchallenge.
Deferring the blame, the MP cited the MCC’s refusal to give permission, J R Lobo’s demand for an underpass, and the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government’s decision to allow agency funding as the main reasons behind the delay.
Later, Kota Poojary also mocked the local Congress leaders for stopping short of commending Nalin Kateel and instead, congratulating the Deputy Commissioner. Throughout the event, the BJP supporters ridiculed the absence of the opposition party leaders by shouting, “Khader bale, Ivan bale, Pumpwell bale”.
BJP MLAs Vedvyas Kamath, Bharath Shetty, Sanjeeva Matandoor, and other party members were present at the inauguration.
