Mangaluru, (The Hindu): Urban Development and Housing Minister U.T. Khader, who is also in charge of Dakshina Kannada district, on Saturday directed the district administration to initiate criminal proceedings under Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code against Navayug Udupi Tollway Pvt. Ltd. for delay in completing work on National Highway 66.

Mr. Khader issued direction to Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S. following a meeting chaired by him to review NH roadworks.

Initially, officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and representatives of the concessionaire Navayuga Udupi Tollway Pvt. Ltd. failed to give a proper update on the work. When Mr. Khader and Mr. Senthil took them to task, an NHAI official, Ajith, said the work had come to a standstill over the passt few days. He said senior representatives of the concessionaire had promised to complete the work at the earliest at a meeting held in Bengaluru a few days ago.

A representative of Navayuga said financial constraints had led to delay in completion of work. He said the company has been assured of funds from banks and it would take up the work at the earliest. The Thokkottu flyover work would be completed by December while the flyover work in Pumpwell would be completed by March 2019, he said.

Not happy with the response of the NHAI and Navayuga representatives, Mr. Khader said, “Despite a number of meetings in the last five years, there has not been much progress in the work. You both are causing a lot of hardship to the people. We will not sit quiet. We have to initiate proceedings.”

Mr. Senthil said he has received a number of reports against the concessionaire. “If they are not in a position to do the work, we can make some other arrangement. People have waited a long time time,” he said, adding that delay in work has led to accidents on the highway. He said the Assistant Commissioner would shortly initiate proceedings against the company.

He also said that henceforth, for any loss of life in accidents on the stretch, criminal cases would be booked against the NHAI and the concessionaire.

‘Toll booth merger in final stages’

The process of merging the toll booth at Surathkal with the one at Hejamady on NH 66 is in the final stages, said an official from the National Highways Authority of India on Saturday.

During a meeting chaired by Urban Development Minister U.T. Khader, the NHAI official said that the file pertaining to merger of the toll booths was with the NHAI regional office. Once the booths are merged, vehicle users going from Nantoor towards Udupi will pay toll at Hejamady, he said.

Mr. Khader said those coming from Surathkal and Mulky would be put to hardship if they are asked to pay heavy user fees at Hejamady.