They raise slogans against apathy of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation

Shop-keepers and public staged a flash protest opposing the delay in the completion of road development works at Gandhi Chowk here on Tuesday.

The protesters, who raised slogans against the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, alleged that the road works are not being completed in time due to official apathy.

They said that the roads from Gandhi Chowk to Nucchamabali Bhavi, NTTF (via KCC Bank), Bagalkot petrol bunk via Medar Oni was in a much-dilapidated condition.

After a series of protests, the government launched work on these roads and promised to develop them into concrete roads.

But, two years have elapsed, and the municipal corporation has not completed the works.

The road from Gandhi Chowk to Bagalkot petrol bunk through Medar Oni and the one from Gandhi Chowk to NTTF via Nucchamabali Bhavi is in pathetic condition.

Besides, heavy rain and floods that battered the city recently have further damaged the roads and every day, two-wheeler riders are meeting with accidents while riding on these roads filled with pot-holes. The general public too have stopped using these stretches and the shop owners located on both sides of the roads are undergoing huge losses, they said.

The road from KCC Bank till Gandhi Chowk has been developed but the footpath has not been constructed. This has forced the people to walk on the road causing traffic congestion. Even after repeated appeals made to the municipal corporation, none of the officials have visited the road for spot inspection.

The protesters have threatened to intensify agitation if the officials failed to complete the road works within the next 10 days.