Udupi: Rev M R T Pal (86), retired pastor of the Church of South India (CSI) southern Karnataka diocese, died in a hospital here on Oct 28.
He had been critically injured when a bike had hit him while crossing the road in front of the church of Mother of Sorrows here on Oct 27.
He had retired after serving for many years in places like Kundapur, Mumbai, Haleyangadi, Uchila, Mulki and others.
Besides being a religious scholar, he had shown keen interest in social service, linguistics, Homeopathy and many other subjects.
He is survived by wife, a son and two daughters. His funeral cortege will leave residence ‘Dhanya’, Main Road, Vasuki Nagar for CSI Jubilee Church, Udupi at 4 pm on Thursday, Oct 29 for prayer service, followed by interment in Udupi cemetery.
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It’s truly sad that a 86 year old man, a Pastor, was knocked by a motorcycle in front of Mother of Sorrow Church, Udupi. May his soul rest in peace. It could have been anyone on these hazardous Udupi roads.
The Udupi Traffic Dept. has not foreseen any amenities or facilities for pedestrians, and walking or crossing the roads in Udupi is risky and hazardous. There are no street lights near Diana Circle, and no pedestrian crossing too. The main and only Traffic Light at this junction is forever OFF, even at nights, when it is pitch dark in this area. Another hazardous junctiure is near the City Bus Stand/Kediyoor Road leading to Bannanje Road, another one is the Ajjarkad and Court Road Junction, another one is the Gundiabail and Kalsanka Junction – Why can’t the Traffic Dept. put up Traffic Lights – they earn so much revenue from taxes and fees from vehicles sales, licences, etc.
The bikers and private bus operators are the most negligent drivers on Udupi roads – that is devoid of dividers, traffic lights, and pedestrian crossings. They do not observe any speed limits inside the city, the signs that are non existant.
It is high time for Mr. Sorake – the person responsible for all the above to wake up and take action, and for Mr. Madhwaraj to inaugrate all the development works. The Udupi Traffic Dept. is a useless body and hardly plays any
role in managing traffic, pedestrians, or their Dept.
The Udupi Municipality too is useless, and wants every donated by people or companies that seek favours in return, and does not keep Garbage Bins in Public areas, does not check the 1000 odd illegal shops in and around Udupi, to name the latest, SPICY NIGHTS, a fairly large illegal restaurant set up on the Malpe main road, right in front of the school in Adi Udupi – plus MESCOM has also given electrical connection. One can observe corruption at the highest form in Udupi without the need for people like me to write and comment.