The Hindu : Reader's Mail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 09, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Reader's Mail

Pavement

in a mess

Sir, — The pavement along Wenlock Hospital, on the road from Hotel Tajmahal to the railway station, is in a mess. Thousands of pedestrians walk on the pavement every day.

The railway passengers who have to carry their luggage are the worst affected.

The road was asphalted in May last, but the pavement was not repaired, though the tender for the work was called in February last. Some petty shops have come up and four wheelers are parked illegally on the roadside. A proper pavement, demolishing of the shops, and construction of a drain are a few steps that the city corporation should consider in right earnest.

J.F. D'Souza,

Mangalore.

* * *

Use railways

Sir, — Of late, manganese and iron ore from Bellary district is being brought to the New Mangalore Port in lorries. Each ore-laden lorry weighs 50 tonnes and unfortunately, National Highway 17 and the bridges along it are not strong enough to withstand the load.

The transport of ore has led to road accidents, claiming a couple of lives in the past few days.

One wonders why the Railways are not being used for shipping ore to the port. Konkan Railway runs parallel to National Highway 17 and it should have been utilised for ore transport. The Government should take steps in this regard soon.

M. Vasudev Bhat,

Udupi.

* * *

Review needed

Sir, — This is with reference to the report on fish famine in The Hindu , January 31, I wish to state that the living resources of the ocean are not unlimited, but self-generating and renewable. Scientifically, fish famine may be said to occur when the total catch decreases annually. If this occurs, restrictions on the number of boats, nets, mesh size, seasons, and areas of fishing are called for. No doubt, self-regulatory methods adopted and adhered to by fishermen will be the best.

The open access system in vogue for marine fishing in the country for over five decades needs to be reviewed urgently before further damage is caused to the marine resources.

P.S.B.R. James,

Bangalore.

* * *

Aesthetics important

Sir, — The approval, in principle, given by the Planning Commission for the Metro Rail project for Bangalore is good news. The proliferation of vehicles, particularly two-wheelers, indicates the inadequacy of the public transport system in the city. As the project has been handled so far by the agency responsible for the Delhi Metro, one hopes that it will be entrusted with the work, which should be completed within a timeframe.

What needs to be carefully considered while executing the project is the aesthetics of the city. Under no circumstances should the Metro Rail mar the beauty of Mahatma Gandhi Road. It is presumed that part of the 6.7-km. underground line of the 33-km. project will be in Cubbon Park. Efforts should be made to extend the underground line to Mahatma Gandhi Road also.

M. Bhaktavatsala,

Bangalore.

* * *

Unfriendly conditions

Sir, — Though senior citizens are offered low airfare, they have to put up with unfriendly and unethical conditions to benefit from the discount. They have to return only by flight after a minimum two-night stay and book tickets seven days in advance.

These conditions defeat the very purpose of air travel which senior citizens undertake for urgent, escort-less travel. The conditions should be withdrawn. The qualifying age for being considered a senior citizen varies with airlines. It should be made uniform on a par with the Railways.

M. Nagarathnam,

Koramangala.

Mangalore.

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