Perdoor NH widening stuck in legal tangle as High Court maintains status quo
Coastal Talk News | Udupi
The proposed widening of NH 169A at Perdoor remains stalled as a legal dispute over the alignment continues before the High Court. Though widening work on the remaining parts of Malpe–Hebri stretch (38 km) has progressed on a fast track, the alignment dispute in Perdoor has come in the way of road widening project. Official sources said the NH Division of the State PWD is awaiting the court’s final order before taking up any work in Perdoor stretch.
The dispute centres on two competing demands. One section of residents wants the highway to be widened along the existing road near the historic Sri Anantha Padmanabha Temple, while another group is seeking a bypass to keep heavy traffic away from the temple and Perdoor town.
Both sides have approached the High Court, following which the court has directed the NH Division of the State PWD to maintain the status quo. Consequently, no widening or related work is currently being undertaken in the disputed stretch, officials said.
The issue had gained prominence earlier after a proposed four-lane alignment was found to pass close to the temple premises. Local residents and temple representatives had argued that a bypass would protect the historic temple while also reducing future traffic congestion in Perdoor. Earlier, local representatives had pointed out that the bypass option could require around Rs 4 crore towards compensation for land losers, compared with an estimated Rs 9 crore for land acquisition for widening the road near the temple.
With the court case still pending, the final alignment of NH 169A through Perdoor remains uncertain. The NH Division of the State PWD is now waiting for the final court order before proceeding with the project, sources told to Coastal Talk News.
