Weekly phone-in programme: These complaints were raised by the citizens

June 1: During the weekly phone-in programme at the Commissionerate office on Friday, residents complained about several issues faced by them to Mangalore Commissioner of Police Sandip Patil.

Residents had complained that the vacant bus bay is often occupied by autorickshaws and four-wheelers due to which buses stop out of the bus bay causing inconvenience to motorists and passengers. A resident from Surathkal complained about the sale of ganja to youth near Surathkal Railway Station. Another resident complained that some garages were repairing vehicles on the road and causing problems to the smooth flow of traffic . Vehicles parked on the footpath was another common complaint. A resident from Surathkal accused autorickshaw drivers of not charging by the meter but demanding extra money. A resident from Moodbidri complained that pedestrians were finding it difficult to cross the road during peak hours. The residents also drew the commissioner’s attention to lack of parking space near KMC Hospital in Ambedkar Circle and Attavar, unauthorised parking of vehicles, using shrill horns by vehicles, cutting down the trips of private city buses. A lady said that in the absence of buses between Moodbidri and Mangalore Junction Railway Station, passengers had to shell out Rs 600 for autorickshaw and Rs 1,200 for cab in order to reach the railway station. A person from Bejai complained that safety of senior citizens in apartments was threatened. A resident from Kodialguthu complained that rainwater had flooded the entire area in Kodialguthu during the previous monsoon but the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) had failed to desilt the stormwater drains.

Responding to the complaints during the phone-in programme, Commissioner Patil directed his staff to begin a drive to ensure that garages do not repair vehicles on the road. Commissioner said that traffic lights were installed near Jain Basadi and other areas in Moodbidri, to help the public. The Commissioner promised to introduce police beat in Bejai and later, he said that measures would be taken as per provisions of the Karnataka Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, to ensure the safety of senior citizens in each police jurisdiction. The Commissioner promised to redress the issue of buses from Moodbidri and Mangalore Junction Railway Stationat the RTA meeting.

DH News Service