MANGALORE: Roads in and around Mangalore city are being dug up again.

Mangalore City Corporation authorities say that the companies that have taken up the work did not consult them. However, the companies say that they had paid fees to the corporation to take up repairs after digging.

Two telecom companies and a company which is laying water pipelines for Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation project have taken up road digging this time.

The work has been taken up in Balmatta, Lady Hill, Hat Hill, Ashok Nagar, Dambel, Bejai New Road, Urva Market, Car Street, Valencia, Mallikatta, Kadri, Shiva Bagh and in areas in Surathkal ward.

A contractor working at Balmatta said that roads in the city would be dug up again as at least three contractors were likely to take up work shortly. Interlocking tiles of pavements on roads, including Kulur Ferry Road, have also been dismantled.

Roads in the city were repaired and asphalted 15 das ago. Mayor Vijaya Arun had taken the initiative to make the city's roads motorable. Corporator of Bendoor ward Naveen D'Souza said the city roads were repaired in 2001 after the corporation was directed by the High Court to take up the work. Funds had not been earmarked in the budget for road repair work in many areas since then, he said. According to the corporation records, at least Rs. 10 crore was being spent every year for maintaining roads.

Hanumanth Kamath, convener of Nagarika Hitarakshana Vedike, Mangalore, told The Hindu that according to rules the corporation should fill the trenches with in a week after digging. The contractor gets the permission to dig the road only after paying the road cutting charges to the corporation. The charges include the cost of repairs, he said. However, the corporation never fills up the trenches, he charged. The trenches pose danger to motorists and pedestrians, especially in monsoon season, he added.

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