Adding to woes from the parking of vehicles and increase in the number of wayside stalls, motorists plying on the widened road between Father Muller Hosptial and Gorigudda Circle are forced to face frequent accidents resulting from the opening of a median near Martin’s Hypermart.
“Two months ago a portion of the median was cut open by the Mangaluru City Corporation only to allow free movement for the vehicles of Ivan D’Souza, MLC, who stays down the road,” alleged a shopkeeper in the area.
He said that the corporation opened the median and levelled it with mud.
This portion of the median that is cut open is between two other regular median openings nearby. Of them one is just 100 metres away near Grace Ice Cream Outlet and another is 250 metres away near St. Gerosa High School.
Following the opening of the median, the shopkeeper said, minor accidents get reported on a regular basis as vehicles get hit by speeding vehicles while taking a turn.
“Two days ago, a car of hotelier was hit while taking a turn towards the Grace Ice Cream outlet,” he said.
A security guard in the area, who also alleged that it has been cut opened recently to help the MLC, said several two-wheeler riders have fallen down from their motorbikes after being hit by speeding vehicles.
“There is no indication of opening of the median and motorists going straight are taken off guard with criss-crossing of vehicles at this opening,” he said.
Many have suffered injuries in frequent accidents, he added.
While stating that the corporation has not received any complaint from motorists, Deputy Commissioner (Development) of the corporation Ranganatha Nayak told The Hindu that the median was opened following a report by the traffic police. “If there are any problems, the traffic police have look at it,” he said.
A senior official from the city police said the police have not given any report favouring opening of the median.
“We were neither consulted while carrying out the widening work nor while opening this median,” he said.
Denying allegations that the median was recently opened to facilitate movement of his cars, Mr. D’Souza told The Hindu that the median was open for a long time.
“It has been opened on the demand by residents of the area,” he claimed. Mr. D’Souza said that he wants the median to be closed as its opening has affected movement of vehicles in the particular spot.