Karkala; Sept 23: Tar works on Karkala’s main roads will start soon. Within few days, existing main bus stand will be moved to Bandipura, which is inevitable.
Tendering process for the Tar works on main roads will be in progress and very shortly tar works on main roads will be starting. While tar work is being carried out, shifting of main bus stand is inevitable for Karkala town municipal council and again the chances of becoming the Bandipura, the main bus stand is more.
Though, it was being told that this is a temporary adjustment, since issue of moving old bus stand to Bandipura, is under dispute for the past two years, the clear decision about moving of the bus stand will be taken very soon or else, the problem of shifting the bus stand might erupt again.
According the sources Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned in January, 2012 to Karkala town municipal council for the road repair and maintenance works on city’s main roads from town planning’s fund. Out of this amount, Rs 3 crore has been reserved for the road works from Bunglegudde to Bhuvanendra college and Rs 2 crore has been reserved for the road works from taluk office junction to SVT circle and for the construction of drainages. Due to urban local bodies elections, held in the month of March and Vidhana Sabha assembly elections held in the month of May coupled with election code of conduct, road works has been delayed. Now after the monsoon, works on road will start.
Earlier municipal council administration has decided to use both old bus stand and Bandipura bus stand equally and since the turmoil and objections from business people prevailed in between in this regard, confusion over this issue has been continued. Still the problem of moving the bus stand remained unresolved. Now only few buses just for name sake going to Bandipura and coming back. This has become a biggest setback for the decision taken by the municipal council administration and become like sprinkling cold water on the decision of authorities.
In reality, the disputed two bus stands are not being used properly.Bandipura bus stand has become centre for few buses to take the rounds and became vacant place and crores of grant-in-aid being mis-used.The buses which are going back to far distances are passing via Mooru Marga-Aanekere, thereby creating hours of hours traffic block. In this regard nobody has paid their heed.
Empty Bandipura:
The Bandipura bus stand was built by previous council administration at the cost of Rs 1.5 crore by giving more prominence to almost all the basic facilities. Besides, late Dr V S Acharya’s name was also given to the bus stand and was inaugurated by then chief minister V Sadananda Gowda.But due to politics in the matter, the Bandipura bus stand was operational only three months and then moved back to old bus stand.
Violation of court order:
A local resident put up a petition in the court alleging Bandipura and old bus stands are not being utilized equally. By upholding the petition, court has passed an ordinance to town municipal council to adhere to ordinance by utilizing both Bandipura and old bus stand equally. But order has been violated by not utilizing both the bus stands equally. In this regard a memorandum has been submitted to the court by the local resident. But udupi district administration has said in its statement that both bus stands are being utilized equally, by saying this, it has been escaped.
The police department has got no power to prepare buses time chart and its follow up. The responsibility of this has been taken completely by RTO silently.
Since the works on roads will commence shortly, traffic movement will become standstill. Therefore municipal council, district administration and RTO must arrange for comfortable, convenient alternative bus stands to the public. If RTO shows, any indifferent attitude in this regard like before, it is certain that in future also have to face the same ordeals.
The city’s road widening process is still not completed. Still many families have not responded to the plea of allowing places. Now the prominent people are trying to appease the owners to leave the place.Rs 2 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of drainages in the city and which is in the beginning stage.
Moving of the bus stand was main agenda of the election campaign during last Vidhana sabha assembly elections. But people were early and anxiously waiting for, what will be the next? But now when the BJP MLAs are there, municipal council’s administration is in the hand of congress.
Wait and see!! What will be the nest step?
