Bhatkal: The long-pending National Highway development work in Bhatkal town, which resumed after years of delay, is progressing at a sluggish pace due to multiple hurdles, including poor coordination among authorities, traffic mismanagement, and infrastructure issues.

Despite the commencement of work in the town limits, the stretch in front of the bus stand has emerged as a major bottleneck. A narrow space opposite the bus stand has effectively been turned into an informal parking zone, severely hampering construction activity on one side of the road. The situation has also made it difficult for buses to manoeuvre in and out of the bus stand, causing inconvenience to commuters.

Locals have alleged that both the municipal authorities and the police have turned a blind eye to the issue. Although several minor accidents have already been reported in the area, no concrete steps have been taken to prohibit parking in the congested stretch. The problem has been further aggravated as the highway has been elevated at certain points, reducing available road space and posing risks for motorists navigating through the parked vehicles.

Meanwhile, in the Ranginkatte area, the highway expansion work is facing a different challenge — continuous leakage of drinking water. For the past one week, thousands of litres of water have reportedly been flowing out daily near the site where an Ashwath tree once stood. The apparent inaction of municipal officials despite the ongoing wastage has raised concerns among residents.

The situation is particularly alarming as the Kadavinakatta dam, a key source of drinking water supply for the town, is already drying up due to the summer season. With water levels steadily declining, the daily loss of large quantities of potable water in the heart of the town has drawn sharp criticism.

Contractors engaged in the highway project are reportedly forced to use excavators daily to pump out accumulated water before continuing the work, resulting in additional operational costs. This has also led to wastage of diesel on a daily basis, compounding concerns over resource mismanagement — both water and fuel.

Municipal engineers have stated that they had earlier written to the Highway Department requesting the relocation of water supply and drainage pipelines before taking up the project. However, no action has been taken so far. They further alleged that even essential materials required to repair the damaged pipelines have not been provided.

With the contractor company and municipal officials reportedly at odds, the question of accountability for the continued wastage of precious drinking water remains unresolved. Residents have urged the concerned authorities to intervene immediately, stop the leakage, and issue strict directions to prevent further loss. Failure to act, they warn, could result in the Kadavinakatta dam running dry in the coming days.

Adding to the woes, daily traffic congestion has become routine along the stretch from Ranginkatte to the bus stand, especially during evening hours. Ongoing road works combined with indiscriminate parking have led to severe disruption in vehicular movement.

Citizens have called on the police department to impose an immediate ban on parking in front of the bus stand and take measures to ensure smooth traffic flow in the area.