Udupi: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has directed National Highway authorities and contractors to take immediate measures to improve road safety and ensure smooth vehicular movement on national highways by carrying out scientific road works and regular maintenance.

He was speaking at a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Rajathadri, Manipal, on Thursday to review the increasing number of accidents at several locations along National Highway 66, including Kota, Padubidri and Tekkatte.

Expressing concern over the rising number of accidents and fatalities on NH 66, Poojary said contractors should not restrict their responsibilities to collecting toll fees but must also ensure proper highway maintenance in accordance with prescribed standards.

He warned that legal action would be initiated against officials or contractors concerned if accidents occurred due to negligence in highway maintenance.

22 accident-prone black spots identified

Poojary pointed out that the responsibilities of contractors were clearly specified when toll collection contracts were awarded. However, he said highway maintenance in the district was not being carried out effectively in accordance with government guidelines.

He cautioned that continued negligence could lead to public resentment, with people potentially refusing to pay toll charges.

Informing the meeting that 22 accident-prone black spots had been identified across the district, he directed National Highway engineers and contractors to immediately install streetlights, signboards, barricades, blinkers and other scientific road safety facilities at these locations and major junctions.

He said the identified stretches should be developed into accident-free zones through appropriate safety measures.

Service road projects to be expedited

Reviewing the progress of the service road from Ambagilu to LVT, Poojary said construction was underway, with tree clearance and drainage works already initiated.

He instructed officials to expedite the project and put precautionary measures in place at Ambagilu junction to prevent accidents caused by heavy vehicular movement.

He also directed authorities to complete ongoing service road projects at Nittoor, Tekkatte, Kumbhashi and other locations at the earliest. He stressed that the roads should be constructed to the required quality standards and opened for public use, considering the frequent accidents reported in these areas.

Poojary also expressed concern over the inadequate functioning of streetlights at the Kalyanpur-Santekatte underpass. Pointing out that motorists faced difficulties while travelling at night, he asked MESCOM and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to coordinate and ensure uninterrupted functioning of the lights.

Local FASTag discount from November 1

The MP further directed NHAI officials and contractors to make arrangements to provide discounted local FASTag facilities from November 1 to residents living within a 20-km radius of national highway toll plazas.

The instruction was aimed at facilitating local commuters who regularly use the highway stretches for their daily travel.

Skywalk proposals and accident-free highway plan

Discussing the skywalk under construction at Tenka Yermal, Poojary said local residents had raised objections to the project and suggested that the work be suspended.

Instead, he asked officials to explore the possibility of constructing skywalks at high-traffic locations such as Ambagilu and near Mahesh Hospital in Brahmavar.

He also informed the meeting that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was being prepared to develop the Kundapur-Talapady highway stretch as an accident-free corridor, on the lines of the Kerala model.

MLAs seek overbridge and service road works

Kaup MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty said the absence of proper roads for public transportation often resulted in dissatisfaction among people with their elected representatives.

Referring to the increasing number of accidents and fatalities at Padubidri due to heavy vehicular movement, he suggested that an overbridge or underpass be constructed at the location on priority to prevent further accidents.

Udupi MLA Yashpal A. Suvarna urged the authorities to take up construction of a service road from Balaipade to Korangrapady. He also stressed the need to provide essential road safety infrastructure at all identified accident-prone locations.

Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar, DFO Ruthran P., Additional Deputy Commissioner Abid Gadyal, Assistant Commissioner Mahesh P.S., NHAI Project Director Abdul Javed Azmi, district-level officials, contractors, engineers and others attended the meeting.