BELAGAVI: The incomplete work on the stretch of Khanapur-Anmod NH4A is posing a threat to motorists. Incessant rains for the past couple of days have turned potholes into craters, leaving motorists to struggle along the route. The road work is incomplete as it was abruptly stopped because of a petition filed by environmentalists against cutting thousands of trees.
Apart from facing a huge inconvenience, loaded trucks and motorists too find it difficult to navigate which may result in accidents.While the work on 25-km stretch of NH4A between Khanapur and Belagavi is almost complete, the negligence of Uttara Kannada MP Anant Kumar Hegde is the reason for the delay in completion, allege residents of Khanapur taluk.
Though Khanapur taluk comes under the same parliamentary constituency, Hegde has not made many attempt to get clearance from the Centre to complete the work. Several pleas by activists, residents and a few elected representatives for the completion of road work have fell on deaf ears.
Dinkar Maragale, a Khanapur-based activist, said,”The road comes under the jurisdiction of the Centre. It is the elected MP who has to plead with the Centre in getting clearance for the road. He added that Khanapur Congress MLA Anjali Nimbalkar has also written to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting
the latter to take up the matter on priority.