Bhatkal: The commencement of highway work between Kumta and Sirsi, scheduled to begin on November 1, leading to the road's closure for traffic, has been temporarily suspended. The Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister, Mankal Vaidya, has revoked the order previously issued by the Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner (DC).

The proposed closure of Sirsi-Kumta highway for seven months, starting from November 1, has been promptly resolved. However, it appears that the district in-charge minister's decision contradicts the initial directive from the DC.

A prominent local Kannada daily Karavali Munjavu highlighted this issue on its front page, drawing parallels between the earlier closure of a tunnel and the recent announcement to ban traffic on the highway between Sirsi and Kumta. This has raised suspicions about the efficiency of administration in Uttara Kannada district, suggesting a "Chalta Hai" (anything goes) attitude still prevails.

The Kumta-Sirsi highway project is currently underway, and based on the contractor's request, it was proposed to close the highway for seven months, as indicated by the reports from Kumta and Sirsi sub-divisional officers. The DC initially ordered the closure of the Sirsi-Kumta traffic from November 1 until the end of May, suggesting alternative routes for affected travelers.

Initially, the decision went largely unnoticed, but it was later objected to by Kumta MLA Dinkar Shetty. Subsequently, several organizations also voiced their concerns about the traffic ban. Following a meeting held in Kumta on Tuesday, Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya announced that the road work would not be halted for any reason. He directed the commissioner to rescind her earlier order. In response, the DC stated that she had withdrawn the order to ban Sirsi-Kumta highway traffic, prompting questions about the consultation process with elected representatives on such matters.

The local media raised questions about whether the DC had failed to engage in discussions with people's representatives when making a decision of such significance in the district. The issue was first raised by Kumta MLA Dinkar Shetty, who pointed out that the order was issued without the input of elected representatives. Sirsi MLA Bhimanna Naik also suggested that measures be taken to avoid causing inconvenience to locals. The cancellation of the order by the district in-charge minister following this chain of events raises concerns about the lack of coordination in the administration. The local media suggested that making decisions at the official level without prior deliberation may not be the right approach.

During a taluk-level progress review meeting in Kumta, Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya expressed concerns about the potential impact on the poor if traffic on the Kumta-Sirsi national highway were halted. He emphasized that stopping traffic would impose an additional burden on low-income individuals, who would have to travel 132 kilometers instead of 60 kilometers, resulting in higher costs for them.

Consequently, the minister instructed the DC to ensure that road traffic is not blocked under any circumstances.

The Kannada daily questioned whether the administration in the district had become derailed. Decisions were made and then reversed under pressure from various stakeholders, suggesting a sense of hopelessness among authorities due to excessive interference.

Local media suggested that, in the matter of the Kumta-Sirsi highway traffic ban, Minister Vaidya should have engaged in dialogue with the DC to reach a decision before the last-minute revocation. This situation raises questions about the effectiveness of administration in the district.