Bhatkal: Raising strong objections over the incomplete, substandard, and service-road–lacking construction of the National Highway four-lane project in Bhatkal, concerned community members living in Dubai and the UAE voiced their frustration and demanded immediate government attention. During the visit of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader to Dubai, a delegation urged him to address the serious issues faced by Bhatkal residents and to initiate effective measures to curb the rising number of road accidents.
The meeting, held on Monday evening, was presided over by the President of the Bhatkal Community, Shahriyar Khateeb.
Ateequr Rahman Muniri, Vice President of Bhatkal’s social organisation Majlis-e-Islah-o-Tanzeem and a Dubai-based NRI, along with Jailani Mohtisham, General Secretary of BMJD, pointed out that the National Highway four-lane construction in Bhatkal has been ongoing for the past 12 years yet remains incomplete. Several sections have been left unfinished, leading to a continuous rise in road accidents and loss of lives.
They further cautioned that if the ongoing Mangaluru–Goa National Highway-66 four-lane project is completed through the heart of Bhatkal town without a proper service road and the earlier-proposed flyover at Shamsuddin Circle, the number of accidents will inevitably rise. Due to the absence of a service road, residents are compelled to drive their vehicles directly on the main highway for daily commutes, posing serious safety hazards.
Representing the residents of Bhatkal, Murdeshwar, Manki, Valki, and surrounding areas residing in Dubai, the leaders also demanded the establishment of a super specialty hospital in Bhatkal or, at the very least, the inclusion of a trauma centre, blood bank, and dialysis unit at the government hospital.
They also voiced concern over the substandard underground drainage (UGD) works, highlighting that the pumping station constructed on the densely populated Ghausia Street has caused the historic Sarabi River, which flows through the centre of the town, to turn into a polluted sewage drain.
The leaders further drew attention to other civic problems, including the deteriorating condition of internal roads, and appealed to U.T. Khader to take concrete and effective action to resolve the public grievances.
Expressing concern over the issues raised, U.T. Khader assured the gathering that he would examine all points seriously. He also invited the community representatives to visit Bengaluru so that a meeting could be arranged with the concerned officials and ministers to work toward practical solutions.
Among those present were Mohammed Ghouse Khalifa, Abu Mohammed Mukhtasar, and several other prominent office-bearers and dignitaries from various associations across Dubai and the UAE.
The event concluded with the presentation of a detailed memorandum to U.T. Khader, outlining the key civic and infrastructural challenges faced by residents of Bhatkal and nearby regions.