On the morning of 9 September, residents and students gathered near Saint George College and Bethany College in Nelyadi, Uppinangadi, to press for a U‑turn facility on National Highway 75 that links Mangalore and Bangalore. The protest, organised primarily to safeguard student commuters, called for the turn‑around point to be installed at a designated safety stop, citing concerns over uncontrolled wandering on the busy highway.
More than 51 local associations and organisations assembled at Gandhi Maidan after obtaining police permission. While the crowd initially stayed on the highway side, chants grew louder and a few participants attempted to block the road until officials arrived. Police, alerted to the situation, warned the organisers of legal consequences and prevented any intrusion onto the carriageway. Loudspeaker announcements subsequently urged the demonstrators to move back to the ground, averting a full‑scale blockage.
The protest featured a roster of community leaders, including Reverend Varghese Kaipanadka, Saji Mathew, P.P. Varghese, Ravichandra Hosavaklu, Ismail Nelyadi, Sarvottama Gowda, Ravi Prasad Gurji Mane, Satish KS, Abraham Varghese, Mohammad Iqbal, Balakrishna Banajalu and Saji V. Their presence underscored the broad local support for the demand.
Intervention came when Javed, Project Director of the National Highway Authority, arrived on site. He assured the crowd that a team of safety engineers would inspect the location and that corrective action would be taken within a month. Satisfied with the commitment, the protesters concluded their demonstration without further escalation.
The episode highlights growing concerns among Nelyadi residents about road safety on NH‑75 and reflects a coordinated effort by students, religious figures and civic groups to influence infrastructure planning.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK