MLC Dinesh Gooligowda raises flaws in Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway in Council 

New Delhi/Belagavi: Additional underpasses and subways on the Mysuru-Bengaluru 10-lane Expressway for vehicles to move and pedestrians to cross was raised in the Legislative Council yesterday by MLC Dinesh Gooligowda who said that the entry and exit points that have been facilitated at Nidaghatta are not comprehensive and would not serve the purpose. Likewise, the entry and exit point near Chamundeshwari Hospital in Channapatna for the people of Mandya is illogical. He said that the Highway has caused injustice to the people of Mandya and there must be a public debate before the much-touted project is inaugurated and corrective measures have to be taken.

His question was answered by Public Works Department Minister C.C. Patil but Dinesh expressed dissatisfaction over the reply and said in a statement that he had earlier discussed the issue with Mandya District Minister, MP Sumalatha Ambarish and the Project Director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) about the entry and exits and even went on a field study to ascertain the ground-level problems.

“During the inspection, I and the people of Mandya were assured that changes will be made to facilitate the local people and local transport. But the appeals have fallen on deaf ears and injustice has been meted out to the people of Mandya. How can entry to Maddur be in Ramanagara district? The entry and exit points only facilitate commuters from Maddur via Kestur, Kunigal, K.M. Doddi, Malavalli, Besagarahalli and Koppa,” he noted.

NHAI has provided underpasses wherever there are hotels, restaurants and prominent layouts but they have denied the same to villagers, he said.

Many villagers have complained that it was difficult to cross the access-controlled Highway as there are no underpasses. “I was told that a proposal would be submitted to the Centre and the issue would be brought to the notice of both CM Basavaraj Bommai and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. But this has not been done,” Dinesh said.

Highway works unscientific: Sumalatha in Parliament

Meanwhile, Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambarish too raised the issue of the Highway in the Parliament and said that there were many issues in the Highway including unscientific works that have been ignored despite repeated raising of the issues by the elected representatives.

“Of course, the Highway will improve the journey between Mysuru and Bengaluru but the people of Mandya are facing problems as the 10-lane road passes through my Constituency. I have inspected the under-construction Expressway many times and I have brought the issues to the attention of CM Basavaraj Bommai but the issues have not been addressed,” she said.

“Unscientific works have been undertaken as the Highway passing through Mandya – Maddur and Srirangapatna cannot even withstand the rain and the road was blocked for days when it rained heavily, putting commuters into a lot of inconvenience. Arrangements have not been made for the water to pass and this is a basic requirement,” she said, drawing the attention of the Parliament.

“I have been fighting with NHAI officials for the past three years and I have informed the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, the Chief Minister and the District Minister about the flaws of the project that are yet to be rectified,” she said.