The state which calls itself a home for start-ups and for pulling more FDI compared to any other state always has been in the front row in exposing its crumbling infrastructure, as well. While civilians in urban areas regularly complain of potholes and encroachment issues; people in rural areas are suffering from poor road connectivity.
In a new low, a road built at a cost of one crore in Chikkamagaluru’s Tiruguna village was damaged in just two months. Angry locals expressed outrage against the contractor and engineers for allegedly taking up substandard work in the village.
It is also reported that locals had given up some part of their land for the construction of the road but now regretted the result. The locals say it would have been better if the road was not built in the first place.
“I am in shock, how can a road built just two months back be cave in? Don’t know what kind of materials the contractor used. It would have been better if they had not built the road,” said Sandeep, a local from the village.
Blaming the state government for 40% commission charges, the distressed locals alleged that contractor Huliappa Gowda used cheap materials for road construction and finished the huge construction work in just three months without any passion to serve people with better infrastructure.
Angry locals also warned the State government of protests if it failed to take stringent action against the contractor.
“The contractor finished long construction work in just three months and escaped but it is locals who are suffering now. The State government should take strict action immediately against the contractor and the engineers who were part of the work. If they don’t, then we will fight fiercely,” said Jayant, a resident of the village.
Across districts, many such incidents are been reported where the poor quality of work has resulted in the road not being able to withstand even one spell of rain.
Previously, Karnataka’s civic body BBMP was also criticized by the PMO office after a newly laid asphalt road built at a cost of Rs 6 crore caved in a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bengaluru.
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