Bhatkal: It has been just few months since the national highway between Bhatkal and Honnavar was asphalted. But the road has already turned pathetic with monstrous potholes appearing on it and the people using this road fear that the bumpy ride can lead them straight to the hospital.

The highway stretch coming in the Bhatkal and Honnavar town limits are in a better position. But the 38 km highway stretch from Bailoor in Bhatkal to Kasargod in Honnavar has so many pot holes that one would take atleast one-and-a-half hour to cross it.

The vehicle riders are forced to performed acrobatics to cross this highway stretch. Moreover, vehicle parts getting damaged on this road has become very common.


The rain adds to the woes of the vehicle drivers as they cannot find a way by evading the potholes. The road stretch turns into a mini pool of water and one cannot differentiate between the pot hole and the road. This is the sad tale that every traveller crossing this road narrates.

Just a year ago, the highway stretch running between Shirali in Bhatkal taluk and of Rs 3 crore. But even before completion of a year, the road has lost its form.

This gives rise to question regarding the quality of works undertaken.

Rising accidents
Besides this, the highway between Bailoor and Honnavar has turned worse. This has led to rise in number of accidents. As per the Police Department, as many as 17 accidents have taken place between Bhatkal and Honnavar in month of May. It is said that eleven people have died in these accidents. In June, 12 accidents took place in which five people died. In July, eleven accidents took place and three people lost their lives. This figure serves an alarm for the authorities concerned.

-The road would not have turned this dangerous if quality works were undertaken. The government releases crores for rupees for development of highways. But all these funds seem to go to the drain as the road ultimately remains the same-, say most of the passengers travelling between Bhatkal and Honnavar.

Speaking to reports Highway sub division engineer M G hedge said that Rs 7 crore has been approved for asphalting the road and tender for this purpose has also been called. He informed that the road works will begin after the rainy season and the works of covering the pot holes was in progress.