Mandya: Hours after hundreds of farmers and villagers had blocked the newly constructed Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway for nearly four hours at Hanakere on Mandya-Maddur stretch of the National Highway-275 seeking construction of an underpass at Hanakere, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has assured of taking up underpass construction works in two months.
In a letter written to Mandya SP (dated Feb.20, 2023), the General Manager (Project Director) of NHAI – PIU, Ramanagara, said that the NHAI had recommended the proposal for construction of underpass at Hanakere village (Km – 88.605) of Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway, which is under consideration by the Competent Authority of NHAI at Delhi. Accordingly, after receiving the approval which is awaited, NHAI will take up underpass works in two months and thus facilitate movement of farmers, the letter said.
Mandya MP backs farmers
Meanwhile, Independent MP from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambarish has backed the farmers who had blocked the Highway on Monday seeking construction of underpass at Hanakere.
In a statement, Sumalatha took strong exception to the lathi charge on protesting farmers who had blocked the road using bullock carts and other means.
The MP said that she had brought the unscientific execution of the Expressway Project and the need for an underpass to the notice of NHAI authorities many times and had also cautioned them about the possible consequences of improper execution of Highway works. But as the NHAI authorities failed to heed to her representations and complaints, the outraged farmers and villagers vented out their ire by resorting to a snap stir yesterday as a last resort to seek construction of the underpass at Hanakere, she maintained.
This post was published on February 21, 2023 7:56 pm