Mangaluru: As Navayuga Engineering Company Limited (NECL) set another deadline for completing Pumpwell flyover and said that the project will be completed by January 31, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to stop collectibg toll at Talapady and Hejamady toll plazas till the flyover work is over.
Nalin conducted a meeting with the officials of both the NHAI and the Navayuga company and questioned them why they were unable to meet the deadline of January 1 that he set earlier.
When project directors of Navayuga informed that rain and some other issues led to delay in completion, Nalin said that people are not ready to pay toll till the completion of flyover.
“As people have already decided not to pay toll at Talapady and Hejamady, I will support them,” he stressed.
When the project directors of Navayuga assured the MP that the flyover will be ready before January 31, Nalin said that he has no trust on them.
He said that he had helped the company to avail loan to the tune of Rs 56 crore, when the Managing Director of the company informed about his financial crisis.
” However, company has not completed the work within the deadline. When I was suspicious about the completion of work before December 31, Project Director of the company told me that I could slap him with sandals if he is unable to meet the deadline. However, work is still pending and I need to answer the queries of the public. Owing to the fault of the company, I have been force to take criticism from public and opposition party leaders,” Nalin said.
Meanwhile, Nalin asked Navayuga officials to give in writing about the completion of the work to the Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh. If the flyover construction work is not completed even after January 31, project directors and officials of NHAI would be arrested as a case has been registered already,” he said.
Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Roopa and others were present.
