Mangaluru: Several Mangaluru-based social activists, including Dakshina Kannada District Bus Owners Association president Dilraj Alva, have questioned the need for authorities to spend copious amounts the taxpayers’ money on the construction of an underpass new the Town Hall.
The pedestrian underpass, construction for which has been underway for the past few months, will cost about Rs 7 crores and, as pointed out by social activists, will be a haven for drug dealers, alcoholics, and other miscreants.
Taking to Facebook, Dilraj Alva, who has been encouraging people to let go of the old saying “speech is silver, silence is golden” and start speaking up when they see unjust things occurring, questioned the authorities whether there is any need to spend Rs 7 crores on the construction the underpass.
Raising the point that most underpasses across the country have not been useful, Alva said that such places have become a place of illicit activities and a danger to society. “Is there one example of a pedestrian underpass that is useful? The answer is NO, because 99% of them are useless. One such underpass that is under construction near Town Hall, Mangluru is an example of waste of taxpayers’ hard earned money,” he wrote.
The post has since gone viral and many other netizens have responded in agreement.
“fully agree with u bro….. been to several countries around the world and most of the underpass r filthy or bieng used for illegal activities or shops, [sic]” wrote one user.
In his post, Alva added that the silence of the people of Mangaluru is the cause for many disasters today.
He then challenged the authorities saying that the underpass will only be used during the inauguration and for illegal activities. “If you look at the condition of underpasses in cities like Bengaluru, you will be able to figure out the fate of our underpass,” he said, adding that there are chances of flooding in the underpass, leading to more cases of diseases like malaria and dengue.
Speaking to Newskarnataka.com, Alva said, “Most pedestrian underpasses turn out to be used for illegal and immoral activities. The plan was to build an underpass near the Mangaluru Central Station to help passengers cross the busy thoroughfare, but I am certain that, after the inauguration, the structure will become a safe haven for immoral activities, not to mention a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which is already happening.”
“On one hand, a new building to house the DC’s office is being constructed in Padil, on the outskirts of the city, where a bunch of trees were felled. On the other hand, the main bus stand is also being moved from the city, creating nothing more hassles,” he added.
While the authorities have assured that the work will be completed soon, the consensus among the citizens is that the project will take longer.
