Residents of Kundapur in Udupi district, who were aghast over continuous artificial flooding on NH66 inside the town, poured their woes to Minister for Ports and Fisheries Kota Srinivas Poojary on Saturday.
Mr. Poojary visited Basrur Moorkai area on NH66 at the rquest of the Rashtriya Heddari Horata Samiti.
The residents pointed out that they have been suffering from artificial flooding for over six years owing to the slow pace of the construction of a four-lane highway. Now that vehicles have been diverted on the service roads, to facilitate construction of main carriageways and underpasses, rainwater gets accumulated on the service roads thereby forcing vehicles and people to move through knee-deep waters.
Mr. Poojary said he would speak to the district administration as well as NHAI officials to get the problem solved immediately.
Kundapura Assistant Commissioner K. Raju told The Hindu rainwater was drained out by giving an opening as well as pumping it out. The administration has told NHAI to ensure rainwater does not get accumulated on service roads during monsoon, he added.
