The New Indian Express 04.08.2010

Mayor’s road visit sparks trouble

Mayor S K Nataraj, Deputy Mayor Dayanand and Chamarajapet MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed paid a visit to the road to study the road-widening proposal.

The road is 10 metres wide and the proposal is to widen it to 24 metres or 80ft. The road is 1.86 km long and connects Vijaynagar.

“I am for the  road widening, but I’m suggesting them to widen the road from the left side, as the right side of the road has a masjid, temple, and a church in the same line,” said Ahmed. “We do not want these structures to be demolished.”

The Palike has identified 241 properties on the left side of the road for demolition.

The left side has more government properties like the police quarters.

“One can build apartments for the police, and it will be good if the road is widened as it will reduce congestion,” said Mohammed Khalil, a resident.

The mayor said road widening was a necessity at this stretch as it would help in easy flow of traffic.

He said work on the road will start shortly.

Councillor’s husband arrives with trouble

Things turned sour at the Jagjivanaramnagar Main Road when husband of Seema Khanam, the councillor of Jagjivanaramnagar, created a ruckus on the road.

Altaf Khanam, along with some residents, came to protest against the mayor’s visit and the road widening project in the area.

Police officials had to hold back the crowd even as a bouquet of flowers was thrown where Nataraj, Dayananad and Ahmed were standing.

Police had to closed the road as the mob got out of hand.

Photographers from the media were also forced to delete pictures of the incident by the mob.