MANGALORE : With Chief Minister Yeddyurappa giving his green signal to the National Highway Authority proposal to widen the Nantur-Talapady highway by 60 meters instead of the earlier 45 meters, hundred of families residing on either sides of this road are facing eviction.
The CM gave the green signal at a meeting held in Bangalore recently to discuss the state highway projects. The CM, it is learnt, directed that the people residing in the 60 meter vicinity of the road be evicted and even the Mulki bypass and Brahmarakootlu Daivasthana be shifted.
Meanwhile, District Minister Krishna J Palemar has expressed his strong opposition to the widening of the highway by 60 meters instead of by 45 meters and says the width of highways in rural areas was only 45 meters and not 60 meters.
However, NH officials say the Union Government has to give its permission in case the highway width should be less than 60 meters.
There are some states which have reduced the width of the highways at some points keeping the public interest in mind. Such steps have been already taken in Goa and Kerala, but contrarily the Karnataka Government has issued instructions to increase the width of the highways.
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