National Highway, many obstacles to development

CH NEWS, CHIKKAMAGALURU

The national highways passing through the district are only in name only at some places, and people are waiting for development. New projects have been stalled for many years, making it necessary for people to travel through potholes and annoying roads. The road from Moogthihalli to Mudigere is awaiting development. It has been two years since the financial approval for the 26-km road worth Rs 400 crore was received. The work has not yet begun due to delays in the land acquisition process. The felling of trees has already begun. The Forest Department has not considered the possibility of relocating trees instead of felling them. After opposition was expressed, it is now considering it. MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has been holding frequent meetings with National Highways officials and Revenue Department officials. However, no work has been implemented. Although there has been frequent talk of developing bypass roads in the Chikkamagaluru-Belur, Moogthihalli-Moodigare and outer areas of Chikkamagaluru city, the lack of development has left people frustrated. It has been a decade since the construction of the National Highway (206), which passes through Tarikere town and some villages in the taluk, began. However, the completion of the work in some parts is being delayed due to some technical reasons. The temporary road constructed for traffic next to the road has potholes scattered around, causing inconvenience to the public. Many cases are pending in court due to land acquisition and land compensation differences. The completion of the work has been delayed due to the lack of compensation for the lake area, large electric poles and electric wires attached to it. Road construction on the national highway from Kadamane in Anegunda in Sringeri taluk to Raitha Bhavan in Uluvalli has come to a halt. The houses where the road is being widened have title deeds. However, when it comes to providing compensation to them, they are claiming that the highway map shows it as government land.