Mangaluru: “Strengthening of newly constructed concrete road shoulders and other small work is going on at Shiradi Ghat, however it will open for the public on August 10” said, Forest minister B Ramanath Rai.
Addressing the press persons on August 3, Rai said that on August 9, Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes along with the PWD ministers will visit the place and inspect the ongoing works and on August 10 all vehicles will be allowed to travel.
To a question as to whether one-way traffic would be allowed during concreting of the remaining 13 km of the Ghat stretch post-September in the Phase – II, or if the road will again be closed, Rai said that the tender has been issued, however, the matters are in a preliminary stage and may take time.
The minister said that the work on shouldering, fixing of signboards and fixing flash barriers was in progress. “Initially, it was decided to open the road for vehicular movement on August 1. However, some work on filling the edges is pending and in the best interest of the vehicle users, it was decided to postpone the re-opening to August 10,” he added.
Sundara Malekudiya case:
Sundara Malekudiya, resident of Kataje village in Belthangady taluk, was allegedly attacked by Gopala Gowda on July 26, when Rai was questioned with regard to this case, he said that the congress government condemns such incidents and they will see to it that the accused is punished.
Earlier, Gopala Gowda had allegedly attempted to murder Sundara with a weed cutting machine, during the process of which, the victim was severely injured. The accused allegedly attacked Sundara with regard to a dispute over a three-acre land to which the latter was given the right of cultivation by the Forest Department. While the accused persons sister Pushpalatha has been arrested by the police, Gopala Gowda and his other sister Damayanthi, are still at large. All the three were present when Sundara was allegedly attacked.
