Beware of death snares along the stretch from Shambhavi bridge to Kolnad junction in Mulky

Mangaluru: The National Highway particularly from Shambhavi bridge near Bappanadu temple to Kolnad junction (near Karnad Industrial area) on NH 66, is being seen as a `curse' that has befallen on Mulky, according to its residents.

"Due to unscientific widening, both fatal and non-fatal accidents had increased particularly at five danger zones along the kilometer-long stretch from Bappanadu temple to Kolnad junction, located about 35 kms from Mangaluru ," informs Association of Civil Engineers Mulky (ACEM) President Jeevan K Shetty.

At Bappanadu temple junction, identified as danger zone-1, vehicles speeding towards Udupi had rammed into vehicles exiting from Bappanadu temple road or knocked down pedestrians crossing the road. "As temple road is steep, drivers ram into speeding vehicles on NH 66 after failing to check the speed," he informed.

Accidents were witnessed on the opposite stretch with vehicles entering highway from Vijaya college road," Shetty said. The stretch opposite Mulky bus identified as danger zone-2 by residents also witnesses many accidents. Though a home guard has been posted, accidents continue to take place, Shetty informed.

The junction connecting Karnad pete and highway had been identified as danger zone-3. Autorickshaw driver Suraj told DH that their union had submitted a memorandum to Mulky Municipalty on installing CCTv at the junction. "With help of CCTv, Municipality could take remedial steps and reduce accidents," he said.

Karnad by-pass or Damodar Mulky road which joins the highway was identified as danger zone-4. "Kolnad junction was identified as danger zone-5 as it witnesses not less than six fatal accidents every month," informs Ilyas of Karnad. Autorickshaw drivers said their appeal to install a high-mast lamp had received no response.

Autorickshaw drivers said they have been placing metal barricades on either side of NH 66, a few meters before Kolnad junction, to reduce speed of vehicles plying on NH 66. We take turns to place these barricades during day and remove them after dusk only to avoid carrying the blood-soaked corpses to nearest hospital, they said.

Shetty says underpass at danger zone-1, zone-2, zone-3 and zone-5 is the only solution to prevent accidents. The service road which ends near Mulky bus stand should be extended upto Shambavi bridge. The roads at danger zone-4, if widened will reduce accidents, informs Shetty.

Shetty's memorandums on building underpass to prevent accidents submitted to deputy commissioner, Member of Parliament, NHAI, among others has drawn no response so far. Thus a delegation from ACEM led by Jeevan Shetty has drawn up plans to submit a memorandum to Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in December.

Project Director of NHAI did not respond to calls or messages from DH. "Until the underpass is a reality, officials concerned should ban installing of flexes and restrict the speed of vehicles plying along the stretch on NH 66 to 40 km per hour," Shetty stressed.