Deep Craters & Potholes on Service Road of NH 66 Near Pumpwell Flyover Affects Motorists & Pedestrians

Deep Craters & Potholes on Service Road of NH 66 Near Pumpwell Flyover Affects Motorists & Pedestrians

Deep craters and potholes have appeared on the service road of Kochi-Panvel National Highway 66 near Pumpwell Circle flyover which been affecting movement of vehicles entering Mangalore from Thokkottu, Kasargod and surrounding areas. A 100-metre stretch of the service road near Brahma Mugera Daivasthana at Ujjodi, right at the mouth of the vehicular underpass connecting the service road on the other side, has been causing inconvenience to motorists for over two months as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has failed to maintain the service road in motorable condition.

A good number of city and service buses, Road Transport Corporation buses of Karnataka and Kerala, besides private vehicles, make use of the service road to enter Mangalore from Kasargod. The number of vehicles has increased following the closure of the Mahakalipadpu Railway Level Crossing for vehicles other than two-wheelers for construction of the twin railway underbridges for the last two years. Vehicles take at least 10 minutes to pass through the 100-metre stretch even as they have to make way for other vehicles entering or exiting through the Ujjodi vehicular underpass.

Moreover the piling up of vehicles has been a threat for the safe movement of pedestrians. They cannot cross the road between the Daivasthana and Indiana Hospital because of the traffic jam, particularly during the peak hours.