Karwar: Residents are up in arms against the proposal of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to lay a bypass in Kumta town as over 300 houses in various villages will have to be demolished for the purpose.
The Committee Against Bypass has decided to knock the doors of the High Court demanding shunning of the proposal.
The bypass is part of the fourlaning of National Highway-66 from Kundapur in Udupi district to Majali near Karwar. In Kumta, NHAI, backed by politicians, has planned to lay a 7.7 km bypass, which will passes through Manaki, Handigon, Urukeri, Kalabhag, Old Heravatta, New Heravatta, Baggon and other villages. But the work is being opposed by residents of these villagers and Kumta.
The existing highway passes through Kumta town. If a bypass is laid, hundreds of villagers will have to part with their houses and properties. Besides, forest land is also required to lay the road and a few hillocks are supposed to be cut down for the purpose. As presently, tourists take Kumta town route, it is helping local shopkeepers. If a bypass is constructed, the business will come down in the town.
Committee Against Bypass president R G Naik said 88 per cent of the land required for make fourlane road on the existing highway is available with the NHAI. It has to acquire just 12 per cent land, where some influencial people are living. To save their properties, a bypass has been planned, for which hundreds of poor people will lose their properties.
Revenue Minister R V Deshpande is behind the bypass. To save properties of some rich people in Kumta, Deshpande has proposed a bypass. Mangaluru-Karwar stretch of the highway passes through Udupi, Byndoor, Bhatkal, Karwar, Ankola, Honnavar and other towns and there is not a single bypass. They have planned bypass only in Kumta, which was not there in the earlier proposal of the NHAI, he alleged.
The committee has decided to approach the High Court, opposing the bypass and launch a campaign and file a complaint with the Prime Minister’s Office.
Last year, hundreds of people had staged a protest against the bypass in Kumta, forcing politicians and NHAI officials to take up road widening work on the existing highway.