Bhatkal: A delegation of the Rahmat Abad Friends Forum (RFF), Bhatkal, met Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya in Karwar and sought urgent intervention to address the poor condition of Jamia Abad Road and inadequate drinking water supply in Rahmat Abad. The forum submitted two separate memorandums highlighting the issues faced by residents.
Led by RFF General Secretary Jareer Hasan Shoupa, the delegation informed the Deputy Commissioner that the Public Works Department (PWD) road connecting Tengingundi Cross to Tengingundi Port via Rahmat Abad, also known as Jamia Abad Road, was in a severely deteriorated condition. The road is riddled with potholes, making travel difficult for residents, while two-wheeler riders have reportedly been falling into potholes and sustaining injuries.
The delegation said waterlogging on damaged stretches of the road during the rainy season further hampers movement. With the rains having subsided, excessive dust raised by passing vehicles has emerged as another major concern. The damaged and uneven surface generates large quantities of dust, causing inconvenience to residents and raising concerns over public health.
The forum urged the Deputy Commissioner to ensure immediate repairs to Jamia Abad Road, provide adequate drainage facilities to prevent waterlogging and take necessary measures to control dust. A written memorandum was submitted in this regard.
In a second memorandum, the forum raised concerns over inadequate and irregular drinking water supply in Rahmat Abad. According to the representation, a substantial portion of the locality has pipeline infrastructure, and several households have water connections. However, many residents continue to receive insufficient quantities of water despite the availability of these facilities.
The delegation said water pressure was extremely low in several houses and the supply remained irregular. Residents often have to wait for long periods for water, and even when the supply begins, the quantity is limited. In some households, residents reportedly have to wait nearly half an hour to collect around five litres of water, causing difficulties in carrying out routine domestic activities.
The forum also highlighted concerns over the anticipated increase in water demand and the risk of shortages between February and May. Residents have faced difficulties during these months in previous years, and lower-than-expected rainfall this year has raised fears of a more severe shortage during the coming summer.
The delegation requested an immediate inspection of the existing water supply system in Rahmat Abad to identify the reasons for low pressure and irregular supply. It also sought measures to ensure an adequate and regular supply to all connected households, along with advance arrangements to address potential shortages before the summer months.
The delegation further informed the Deputy Commissioner that representations regarding the road's deteriorating condition had been submitted during the first week of September to Bhatkal MLA and Karnataka Deputy Speaker Mankal S. Vaidya, the Assistant Commissioner, the Tahsildar and the concerned PWD authorities. However, the forum said no road repair work had commenced despite repeated appeals and considerable time having passed.
Several other office-bearers of the forum were also present during the meeting, including Anzaf Quazi, Ahmed MS, Abdul Manan and Moulavi Abubakar Siddiq.