Mangaluru: Continuing its agitation on highway issues, the Congress on Monday took out a padayatra from Talapady to Pumpwell Junction pressing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to complete the flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu on the National Highway 66 at the earliest.

The padayatra, which began at about 10 a.m., ended in the evening at Pumpwell Junction where the party leaders addressed a public meeting.

Addressing the gathering, the Congress leaders alleged that Nalin Kumar Kateel, Member of Parliament, is only rolling out a bundle of lies misleading the people on completing the two flyovers.

U.T. Khader, minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada and Urban Development, said that Mr. Kateel’s contribution to the district in the last about five years is only two uncompleted flyovers. The Minister said that Mr. Kateel himself has been fixing the deadlines for completing the work on the flyovers and it is not being met by the Union government represented by him.

The Minister said that only two or three persons are seen working at the site of Pumpwell flyover.

Questioning Mr. Kateel for not taking up work on a flyover at Nanthoor Circle, the Minister said that the MP is doing “injustice” to the development of Mangaluru.

J.R. Lobo, former MLA, Mangaluru City South, said that “only miracle” should happen if the flyover at Pumpwell was to be ready by this month-end or the next. Earlier, Mr. Kateel had said that the flyover at Thokkottu will be ready by December 2018 and the one at Pumpwell would be completed by January 31, 2019. Now it has proved to be another lie, he said and added that the MP has again stated that both the flyovers would be ready by next month-end.

The MP is only trying to make people believe with his lies, Mr. Lobo said.

The former MLA said that the MP has been stating that land acquisition for widening the highway between Mangaluru and Karkala via Moodbidri has not been completed. He has been blaming the State government for the delay. On the other hand, Mr. Kateel has stated that the widening of the highway will begin on February 1.

B. Ramanath Rai, former Minister, said that the BJP has been indulging only in raking up “emotional issues” without bothering to improve the roads and highways in the district.

K. Harish Kumar, MLC, was present.