Negligence in Karkala four-lane road work causes public hardship
Karkala: The ongoing four-lane road construction on National Highway 169, from Karkala Bypass Road to Mala Gate, has drawn criticism due to severe delays and poor-quality work, leading to significant public inconvenience.
Despite the project’s budget of ₹167 crore, the work has been dragging on for two years, leaving local residents and motorists to deal with poorly maintained roads. The widening of the road has resulted in public roads being dug up, causing motorists difficulty in accessing their homes. During the monsoon season, waterlogging on the unfinished roads has led to damage to nearby houses, wells, and agricultural lands in low-lying areas.
The construction of concrete drains, which are higher than the road itself, has further exacerbated the situation, making vehicular access to homes and shops along the road impossible. Local residents have begun to protest the disruptions.
The work on the highway has seen various levels of mismanagement. While some areas have been dug lower, others have been raised with added soil, resulting in a bumpy and uneven road surface, even after asphalting. The widening of turning roads, notorious for accidents, has not improved safety, as the turns have not been straightened. The lack of foresight in planning and execution, coupled with the absence of proper signboards, has led to an increase in accidents.
The quality of construction has also been questioned, particularly regarding the concrete drains. Reports suggest that improper materials, including gravel without adequate cement and unsuitable iron for concrete slabs, are being used. Recently, a mini lorry got stuck in a collapsed concrete drain, highlighting the poor construction standards.
Despite these issues, the National Highways Department has yet to take corrective action. Daniel Ranger, President of the Aam Aadmi Party in Karkala, has called for protests to draw the attention of the authorities and the Lokayukta to the misuse of public funds.
Local resident Satish Kumar from Meyaru expressed frustration, stating, "The work has caused nothing but problems for the public. The quality is so poor that we struggle to even reach our homes. The actions of the irresponsible officers and contractors are condemnable."
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Ajit Pawar wins Baramati battle, defeats nephew Yugendra by more than 1 lakh votes
Baramati, Nov 23: Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on Saturday won from his traditional Baramati assembly constituency by defeating his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar by more than one lakh votes.
Ajit, who parted ways with his uncle Sharad Pawar last year and was seeking an eighth term from this family bastion in Pune district, polled 1,81,132 votes while Yugendra Pawar polled 80,233 votes.
Ajit, thus, defeated his younger brother's son by 1,00,899 votes.
Five months ago, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) had triumphed in Baramati in the Lok Sabha elections, with incumbent MP and Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule defeating Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes.
Both the NCP factions did not leave a single stone unturned during the assembly campaign, and even Sharad Pawar's wife Pratibha Pawar and Sule's daughter Revati were seen campaigning for Yugendra, while Ajit Pawar brought his mother on stage during his concluding rally in Baramati.
While Sharad Pawar told the people of Baramati that they needed a new leadership, alluding to Yugendra Pawar whom he described as a highly-educated candidate, Ajit Pawar cautioned people not to fall prey to the "emotional pitch" by the senior Pawar.
After Saturday's results, Ajit Pawar, who along with several other NCP legislators sided with the BJP-Shiv Sena government in 2023, could claim to be the real political heir of his estranged uncle who founded the NCP in 1999.
Sunetra Pawar, now a Rajya Sabha member, thanked the people of Baramati for reposing their faith once again in `Dada' (elder brother in Marathi, as Ajit is fondly called).
