The Hindu 31.01.2010
Car Street issue raised in CMC meet
Staff Correspondent
| Residents of the area are against installation of gates |
Vehicle-free zone resolution was passed in August 2008
Normal water supply in Ambalpady ward
from today: engineer
Udupi: The issue of making Car Street a vehicle-free zone was highlighted in the general body meeting of the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) here on Saturday.
Shyamprasad Kudva, councillor, wanted to know if the Kollur-Subrahmanya State highway, which passes through the Car Street, had been handed over to the CMC. He said residents of the area were objecting to installation of gates for the four roads leading to the Car Street.
Pandurang Malpe, councillor, said if the road had been handed over to the CMC, why was the district administration not taking the councillors into confidence while deciding on making Car Street a vehicle-free zone.
M.R. Pai, councillor, said it was the CMC that was cleaning the area and maintaining streetlights on the Car Street.
The district administration should consult the CMC before making it a vehicle-free zone, he said. Gokuldas Nayak, CMC Commissioner, said that a proposal had been sent to Public Works Department (PWD) in 2004 for handing over the stretch of the highway passing through Car Street to the council. The PWD handed it over subsequently. In August 2008, the then administrator passed a resolution that Car Street should be made a vehicle-free zone, he said. Councillor Vasanti Shetty said there was a severe shortage of drinking water in Ambalpady ward for many days. This was because water from the Swarna second stage was being supplied to Kadekar village, she said. Nanjundaswamy, CMC engineer, said that normal water supply would be restored in that area from Sunday.
Devendra Prabhu, councillor, said the entire Manipal ward did not get water on January 29 and there was no response from CMC officials to complaints by the people. Mr. Dinakar Shetty said that the pipeline on the Udupi-Manipal Road was damaged during the widening work there. As a result, the water supply had been stopped. This would be set right immediately, he said.
Mr. Nayak said that the District Police would consult the CMC before installing traffic lights in the city.
People’s protest
Shopkeepers and residents of Car Street, who have formed the Nalku Veethi Nivasigala Vedike, staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Saturday, protesting against the district administration’s decision to make it a vehicle-free zone.
Shops closed
Shopkeepers on Car Street downed shutters from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
