KARWAR: As the national highway connecting Sirsi and Yellapur closed down due to landslides, hundreds of trucks were stranded on the outskirts of Kumta. Trucks and lorries were piled up at the Holegadde toll booth due to the blocking of the highway.
The vehicles parked on either side of the NH and drivers were roaming aimlessly as there were no nearby hotels and restaurants. Seeing the plight of lorry drivers, a group of local youth has been providing food to drivers and cleaners.
“These drivers have been here for the past 10 days. We are not sure how long this will continue. Therefore, we decided to help them with food. This is the only way we can come to their rescue,” Raju Naik, a local youth, told Express.
“We are providing food to at least 300 people daily. We provide them breakfast, lunch and dinner. We do not want them to go hungry. Many of these drivers had no plans for long trips. Some were returning home. Now, they have to wait till the ghat road is open for heavy vehicles,” said S T Naik, a grama panchayat member