Ministers caught in traffic jam:road widening work gets

: Work on widening of the road in Charmadi Ghat gained momentum from today apparently after two ministers were caught in a traffic jam for almost three hours on the route on January 3.
Health Minister U T Khader and Fisheries Minister Abhayachandra Jain had on Saturday felt the pinch of the common man's miseries on Charmadi Ghat road since the closure of the Shiradi Ghat stretch for repairs, as they had to wait for hours on the road before reaching their destinations.
Sensing trouble, officials of National Highway Authority started work on Sunday itself and earth movers were pressed into service, locals who helped the team told reporters.

The stretch is being widened after clearing vegetation on both sides so that vehicles can move more freely in both directions. In the Ghat section, the plying of heavy vehicles are being regulated, sources said.
Police sources said they had a tough time controlling heavy vehicles which entered the Charmadi Ghat road despite a ban imposed by the district administration.
The Shiradi Ghat was closed for repair on January 2 and vehicles were being diverted through alternative routes.
Official sources said the motorists were not using the Agumbe Ghat road, which was also identified as an alternative route between Mangaluru and Bengaluru by the district administration.