Mangaluru: Daily commuters from Jyothi Circle mostly those availing bus service from the junction have been encountering noxious smell as they wait for their buses. The reason behind this putrid smell are multiple overflowing drainages which has so far largely eloped the attention of administration.

The smell is largely caused by two main drainages that have been overflowing especially during the evening prime time when the junction remains the busiest. One drainage sewer at the main junction opposite to KMC Hospital and the other one near the gates of Jyothi Talkies.

The overflowing of water from the drainage near Jyothi Talkies flow near the Jyothi bus stand which is also one of the busiest city bus’ stop in the city. Senior citizens awaiting their buses complain of breathing problems while others are afraid to breath for a long time near the bus stop.

“This is dangerous and the administration should immediately address this. Thousands of people wait for buses here at this bus stop. The overflowing drainages are compromising the health of these people” Dhananjay Shetty, a daily commuter who boards his bus to Karkala told Vartha Bharati.

“The problem exists from several months. But it however managed to successfully stay away from the attention of MCC officials. This needs to be addressed at the earliest, this is easily one of the busiest roads in the city during evening hours. And people commuting the road are facing inconvenience. It is high-time the administration should repair and stop the overflow” Sumith Bhat, a student of a private college in the city who boards bus from Jyothi Circle said.

Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner, Ajith Shanadi, while speaking to Vartha Bharati over phone call added that the administration was aware of the issue and promised action to repair the overflowing drainage within a week.

“We know about the issue and we will soon start the work in this regard” Ajith noted. Asked by when the issue will be sorted, Ajith said “This will be resolved within a week. A team will be assigned the task to resolve the issue and it will initiate action in a couple of days”.

When contacted the ward councilor A C Vinayraj, had a different story to tell. Vinayraj blamed Ajith Shanadi and added that the MCC Commissioner was not co-operating to resolve the issue.

“I have been pressing the MCC officials to resolve the issue from last four months but they are not paying attention to this. I have threatened them to stage protest and “Rasta Roko” drive if they don’t resolve it within a week. They have promised me to repair it in two days. The people of the ward are ready for protest” Vinayraj told Vartha Bharati over phone call.

"When I enquire about the issue with junior engineers, they play blame game and ultimately they blame Ajith Shanadi for not approving the repair work citing lack of funds" Vinayraj alleged.

It will be interesting to see if the MCC administration can deliver on its promise of resolving the issue within a week for the best interest of the people who are facing inconvenience due to the overflowing drainage.

Viral cartoon on social media regarding the issue.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Saturday shared diary entries of Vallabhbhai Patel's daughter from a book to rebut Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's claim that India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, wanted to build the Babri masjid using public funds, and demanded that Singh apologise for spreading "falsehoods".

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, claimed the defence minister was spreading falsehoods to “improve his relationship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Here is Maniben's original diary entry in Gujarati on pages 212-213 in the book ‘Samarpit Padchhayo Sardarno’ by CA R S Patel 'Aaresh', published by Sardar Patel Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Society, 2025,” Ramesh said on X, sharing screenshots of the relevant pages from the book.

“There is a huge difference between what is contained in the original diary entry and what Rajnath Singh ji and his fellow ‘distorians’ are propagating,” Ramesh said.

“The Defence Minister must apologise for the falsehoods he is spreading, simply to improve his relationship with the PM,” he claimed.

The Congress had earlier termed Singh's claim that Nehru wanted to build the Babri masjid using public funds a “lie” and “WhatsApp university story”, and said the defence minister should not walk in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's path.

Addressing a gathering at Sadhli village in Gujarat's Vadodara district last Tuesday, Singh said Nehru wanted to build the Babri masjid using public funds, but Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel didn't allow his plans to succeed.

The BJP had cited a book by Vallabhbhai Patel's daughter to double down on Singh's claims, and said the first prime minister also said he felt "repelled" by some of the temples in south India despite their beauty.

“The source of what Rajnath Singh said is the 'Inside Story of Sardar Patel, Diary of Maniben Patel'," BJP Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi had said at a press conference at the party headquarters while responding to media queries on the issue.

Trivedi claimed that on Page 24 of the book, it is written that Nehru also raised the question of the Babri mosque, but Sardar Patel made it clear that the government could not spend any money on building a mosque.