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Udupi : Even though we welcome the decision taken in state cabinet meeting on 7^th June, to request the central government to reclassify some stretches of the National Highway as locals, in fact, the local bodies do not have adequate funds to maintain, said K Raghupathy Bhat former MLA and Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

Addressing media person at Udupi Press Club on Thursday, 8^th June, Raghupathy Bhat urged Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Sports and Youth Empowerment to get more grants to Udupi City Municipal council in the light of State Government’s proposal to declare national highways as city local authority roads.

Earlier weeks, the Supreme Court ordered a ban on liquor shops near the national highways,.In order to protect around 6,000 bars which located in national highways, state government will request the central government to reclassify some stretches of the national highways into locals. The urban local bodies did not have adequate revenue to either construct or maintain these national highways.

Bhat said that we have NH 66 and NH 169 A which passed through Udupi. There were already demands for the construction of flyovers at Ambalpady and Kallianpur Santhekatte. The construction of an under pass at Karavali Junction here also would be affected. Meanwhile Union Ministry of Road Transport and National Highways had already prepared DPRs for the widening of the Malpe-Karavali Junction stretch and the Manipal Parkala stretch on NH 169A which required urgent widening. But with the state urging the centre to declare national highwarys as city roads, there were complications that how the Udupi CMC  manage the funds for maintaining the roads. Pramod Madhwaraj should think about that and he should request the chief minister to release funds for pending projects on highways, he said.

He said prior to denotifying land for the national and state highways, the state government should release funds to CMC and other local bodies to maintain the raods. Earlier the state government had released Rs 3 crore for the widening and development of the Parkala Road, but it is not completed.

Bhat said that he have a written letter to Pramod Madhwaraj for a readdressal. Udupi people are waiting for the development of national and state highways. The minister in charge of Udupi district should bring the fund for the CMC for additional fund for the CMC.

Raghupathy Bhat said that due to the sand crisis, the developmental work has been stopped in district. The district incharge minister failed to bring a new sand policy especially coastal district.

Prabhakar Poojary, Yashpal Suvarna, Praveen Shetty, Jagadish Acharya and other among were present during the press meet.