Youth team up to restore battered road in Maravanthe village in coastal Karnataka after gram panchayat refuses repairs citing lack of funds

While the panchayat receives funds from the government of Karnataka, the State Government makes the panchayat pay for several of its initiatives, thereby leaving little with the local body for routine maintenance or development work, claimed the president of the GP.

When the damaged portion at the junction of two main roads leading to Maravanthe village remained unattended for months, a few youth of teamed up to address the issue. They poured concrete on the affected stretch to facilitate a smooth ride for motorists.

The concrete road from National Highway 66 connecting Moodu Maravanthe had been badly damaged at the junction with Maravanthe Main Road near the madaga (rainwater pond).

Residents alleged that a crater was formed due to the unscientific execution of the concrete road work without providing for a culvert at the junction for the smooth flow of rainwater.

Maravanthe resident Mohan Hebbar said many bicycle riders, motorcycle riders and autorickshaw passengers met with accidents at this spot because of the deep crater. Even school bus drivers used to face difficulties, he said.

When the issue remained unattended for months, a few youth from the village — Jagadish Mogaveera, Shankar Mogaveera, Aditya Devadiga, Prasanna Poojary and Nithin Poojary — procured concrete and poured the same to close the crater on October 6.

Mohan Hebbar commended the youth for their work instead of waiting for the gram panchayat to do the work.

A former president of Maravanthe Gram Panchayat said the GP should have addressed the issue, at least out of the property taxes collected from the village. People were complaining that the panchayat cites non-availability of funds whenever they approach it to get some work done.