Electric pole in the middle of a road in Mangaluru

KUIDFC Deputy Project Director Manjunath, who arrived at the spot on being informed by The Hindu on April 19, blamed the contractor for the goof-up

A functional electrical pole stood in the middle of a newly-constructed road in Mangaluru for over a fortnight, indicating that pictures on social media depicting such scenes are not just jokes, but a reality due to the indifference of government agencies. 

Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) replaced old sewers on Pumpwell-Maroli road with new ones, but left a functional electric pole in the middle of the road. Though the work was completed more than a fortnight ago, the pole remained intact much to the dismay of residents.

Highlighting the apathy of the agencies concerned, Nigel Albuquerk of Mangalore Civic Group said why the pole on the Maroli pump house road was not shifted is a mystery. He added that the quality of the bitumen surface does not appear to be good enough to withstand rains in the monsoon. 

Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Akshy Sridhar said he would ensure the pole is shifted to the flank.

Shiva Prasad, a resident of Adu-Maroli, said a five-foot-wide  kutcha (makeshift) road existed before the sewer lines were changed. After MCC built the retaining wall to the storm water drain, additional space was available, which was used to lay a seven-foot-wide road. “We are not bothered about the pole in the middle of the road; the bitumen road is by itself a big favour for us,” he said sarcastically, upset with the apathy of government agencies and the laidback attitude of residents.

KUIDFC Deputy Project Director Manjunath, who arrived at the spot on being informed by The Hindu on April 19, blamed the contractor for the goof-up. “KBR Constructions is a reputed contractor, but failed to execute the work properly. The road work was not in the sanctioned package, but we were obliged to build the road on the request of the local MLA,” he said. 

He was accompanied by executive engineer Ravi, who was overseeing the project, and a representative of the contractor.