Barricaded Passage on NH 66 Now Open for U-Turn during Peak Hours in Morning & Evening
Mangaluru: Recently, the U-turn passage on the National Highway-66 in front of Shanti Kiran/Sandesha on the stretch of Nanthoor Junction to Mahaveer/Pumpwell junction in the City. was closed by placing barricades and RCC dividers. Following this, vehicles from both directions on the highway were not able to take a U-turn. However, a few two-wheeler riders and auto-rickshaw drivers were slowly sneaking through the passage by moving aside one of the barricades. But, after Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath had met the Mangaluru City Police commissioner Kuldeep Kumar R Jain and discussed the hardships faced by motorists, the Top Cop had agreed to allow the U-turn at that spot.
The MLA, who held a meeting with the city police commissioner speaking to the media said that vehicles from Pumpwell to Maroli and Kulshekhar were taking a U-turn on the national highway near Shanthi Kirana. Similarly, vehicles from Maroli and Kulshekhar too were crossing the national highway at the spot to reach Nanthoor. However, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) closed the U-turn passage to prevent accidents. As a result, vehicles from Pumpwell have to take a U-turn at Nanthoor Junction to reach Maroli and Kulshekhar. Similarly, vehicles from Maroli and Kulshekhar will have to take a U-turn at Pumpwell to reach Nanthoor. Meanwhile, Nanthoor Junction is witnessing traffic congestion, and people have been complaining about it frequently, the MLA said.
The MLA added that the commissioner has agreed to allow the U-turn during peak hours in the morning and evening. “The commissioner also mentioned the denial of insurance in case of accidents involving vehicles from Adumaroli to Nanthoor plying on the wrong side. Hence, I have suggested to the police to depute traffic personnel at the U-turn passage to prevent vehicles from Adumaroli from going on the wrong side,’’ the MLA said, adding that the commissioner has agreed to depute traffic police personnel at the spot during the day.
Similarly, vehicles from Maroli and Kulshekar areas will have to take a U-turn at Pumpwell to reach Nanthoor. NHAI assistant executive engineer Anirudh Kamath, corporator Sudheer Shetty and nominated corporator Bhaskar Chandra Shetty were present during the meeting.
