Mangaluru: Dr. Manjunath Bhandari, Member of the Legislative Council, has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging immediate intervention to repair and upgrade rural, urban, state and national highways in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, where deteriorating road conditions have contributed to a sharp rise in accidents this year.

In his letter, Dr. Bhandari cited official data showing that Dakshina Kannada district alone has witnessed 702 accidents in 2025, leading to 122 deaths and 815 injuries by early September. Of these, 63 victims were two-wheeler riders and 44 were pedestrians. “The alarming rise in fatalities is directly linked to the poor condition of highways and service roads, particularly those that have not been widened or upgraded for decades,” he wrote.

He highlighted the condition of State Highway 52, connecting Kundapur in Udupi district to Tirthahalli in Shivamogga. The 93-km stretch, he pointed out, has remained narrow for more than 40 years despite a manifold increase in traffic. “The road has become extremely unsafe. The 1960-built Kandlaur bridge over the Varahi river is on the verge of collapse and requires urgent reconstruction,” Dr. Bhandari said.

The letter also emphasised the need to upgrade SH-52 to a four-lane highway or elevate it to national highway status. “Such an upgrade will not only ease traffic and reduce accidents but also improve connectivity from the coastal districts to Bengaluru, Ballari, Raichur and Hyderabad. It will further boost tourism in Kundapur, Byndoor and surrounding temple towns,” he noted.

Dr. Bhandari drew attention to the Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project-III (KSHIP-III), under which nearby stretches have been widened with Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding. “Excluding SH-52 from this scheme reflects a discriminatory approach. The state government must ensure parity by seeking ADB assistance, NHAI support, or financing through the BOT-annuity model,” the letter stated.

He also flagged the persistent traffic bottlenecks along Shiradi, Agumbe, Charmadi, Sampaje and Nagodi ghats, suggesting that tunnel roads could be considered to provide long-term relief.

Appealing to the Chief Minister, Dr. Bhandari wrote: “The safety of thousands of commuters depends on urgent government action. I request you to direct the Public Works, Rural Development and allied departments to immediately begin repair and upgrading works, and to submit a proposal to the National Highways Authority of India for comprehensive improvement.”