Congress activists and other residents on Sunday protested the poor condition of the National Highway 169, a road stretch in Parkala in Udupi, and delay in paying compensation to people whose land had been acquired for the widening of the highway.
The protesters blocked the movement of vehicles for a brief period and planted banana saplings in some potholes.
Addressing the protestors, Leader of Opposition in Udupi Municipal Council Ramesh Kanchan said the national highway stretch had been filled with potholes and was causing hardship to motorists. Parkala residents were facing difficulty in walking along the highway.
Holding MLA Raghupati Bhat responsible for the poor condition of the highway, Mr. Kanchan said urgent action should be taken to make the highway motorable. He said Parkala, where voters have been supporting the BJP for a long time, continues to be neglected by the State government for development works. If the neglect continues, they would intensify their protest, he said.
Another protester said not all people whose land was acquired for widening were given the compensation. There was disparity in the way compensation has been worked out. The State government should resolve the issue at the earliest, the protester said.
The road widening of Malpe Tirthahalli NH 169A is being done by the NH division of the State Public Works Department.
