Udupi-Manipal Road:  Officials told to take safety measures

Manipal: The Department of National Highways has been directed by the district administration to take safety measures on the Udupi-Manipal stretch of National Highway 169A, which is presently being widened and concreted.

Speaking to the media, Udupi DC Hephsiba Rani Korlapati informed that she had conducted an inspection of the Udupi-Manipal stretch with the officials of the Udupi City Municipal Council and the departments of National Highways and Police. The department has been directed on the safety measures to be taken on this stretch with regard to the road divider and diversions at a few places, she said and added that she had directed them to demarcate the road and put reflectors at road edges on the entire stretch immediately.

Speaking on the soil heaped between the road divider along the road by some people with the aim to create access to their business establishments the DC said, “I have told the officials to remove such access. There are designated points where this can be done. People cannot do it at their convenience. This would lead to people crossing the road and creating unnecessary traffic problems.”

Departments have been directed to take necessary precaution at the location where the Tiger Circle and Syndicate Circle earlier existed.

The work on widening and concreting the road is in progress and may take a couple of weeks to be completed post which, some more weeks will be required for the curing period.

Assistant Executive Engineer of the Department of National Highways Ravi B informed that the department would follow the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner. However, the safety measures taken now will be temporary in nature and only after the completion of the work along the stretch will the permanent safety measures be implemented.