Poor road conditions in DK–Udupi: MLA Manjunath Bhandari urges CM for immediate repairs
Mangaluru: Continuous rains and heavy vehicular traffic have severely damaged roads across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The deteriorating condition of highways, state roads, and service roads has led to a sharp increase in road accidents, posing a serious threat to public safety.
In 2025 alone, Dakshina Kannada district has reported 702 road accidents, resulting in 122 deaths and 815 injuries. A significant number of fatalities involve pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. Highlighting the alarming situation, Legislative Council member Manjunath Bhandari has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging urgent repair works.
The Kundapura–Tirthahalli State Highway 52, spanning 93 km, connects several key towns and villages. However, the road has not been widened in the past 40 years, causing severe traffic congestion. The Kandlur bridge, constructed in 1960 across the Varahi river, is now on the verge of collapse, making its reconstruction essential.
The major ghat roads of Agumbe, Shiradi, Charmadi, Balebare, Sampekatte, and Nagodi are extremely narrow, leading to year-round traffic jams. Even ambulances face obstructions during emergencies. The poor state of these roads is also damaging local trade and tourism in the coastal belt and temple towns of the region.
While several state highways have been upgraded to four lanes with Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance, State Highway 52 has been excluded, drawing criticism from local residents who see it as discriminatory. Citizens and organizations have demanded that funds be mobilized through ADB, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), or the BOT (Annuity) model to upgrade the road.
Local residents have called for immediate repair of highways, reconstruction of the Kandlur bridge, widening of State Highway 52 into a four-lane road with national highway status, and construction of tunnels in ghat sections to ease traffic congestion.
With 122 deaths recorded in Dakshina Kannada district alone in 2025, the situation has reached a crisis point. The MLA has urged both the state and central governments to act without delay, emphasizing that improving road infrastructure is vital not only for public safety but also for the economic and tourism growth of the coastal region.
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High-level inquiry committee set up to probe fire in Rajdhani Express: Railway Board
New Delhi (PTI): The West Central Railway Zone has constituted a high administrative grade-level inquiry committee to investigate the fire on the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express on Sunday.
The fire erupted at 5.15 am in the B-1 passenger coach of the train between Vikramgarh Alot and Lunirichha stations under the Kota Railway division, one-and-a-half hours after it left the Ratlam Junction in Madhya Pradesh, according to an official. The fire also damaged the luggage brake and generator car behind the coach.
"The committee has been nominated by the general manager of West Central Railway (WCR). It comprises senior officers from the West Central Railway, Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, and RDSO (Research Designs and Standards Organisation)," the Railway Board said in a press note.
"Principal chief safety officer, WCR, has been appointed as the convener of the committee," it said, also mentioning other committee members such as principal chief electrical engineer, principal chief mechanical engineer, principal chief security officer from the WCR zone, and principal chief mechanical engineer from the Integrated Coach Factory, among others.
As per the provisions of the Accident Manual, the committee has been directed to complete the inquiry within the stipulated timeframe.
The Board stated that the committee will conduct a detailed examination of the causes of the incident, technical aspects and safety parameters so as to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.
"Indian Railways remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of passengers and is taking all necessary measures in this regard," it added.
