Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

1. Bengaluru’s Major Arterial Road set for inauguration by June end

Bengaluru’s Major Arterial Road (MAR), the city’s widest road with a width of 320 feet, is set to be inaugurated by the end of June. The MAR runs parallel to NICE Road, passes through Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) and spans 10.76 km. However, issues have surfaced in both its design and execution. Earlier, The Hindu reported the possibility of bottlenecks at the ends of the road.

Now, the Bangalore Development Authority and Bengaluru Traffic Police have planned to install traffic signals at both ends, after considering diverting traffic through interior roads of NPKL. According to sources, although some vehicles can be diverted through other roads, the volume of traffic at the connecting junctions is still expected to be high, making signal installation inevitable.

2. KEA to seek Rural and Kannada medium certificates in digital form for CET, recruitment exams in Karnataka

To simplify document verification of candidates seeking reservation under the rural quota and Kannada medium quota in the Common Entrance Test, and other recruitment examinations, the Karnataka Examinations Authority has decided to obtain Rural Certificates and Kannada Medium Certificates in digital form. The move is also aimed at preventing creation of fake certificates.

KEA has submitted a request to the Department of School Education and Literacy to distribute these certificates to candidates in digital form. The KEA, which conducts the CET for admission to various professional courses, including engineering, allocates seats to more than 2.5 lakh students every year, and through NEET counselling, to over 50,000 medical and related courses.

3. Areca trucks seized in Maharashtra: Karnataka growers, traders worried

The Federation of Karnataka State Cooperative Arecanut Societies has expressed concern that the areca trade could come to a standstill in Karnataka following recent action by the Food and Drug Administration in Maharashtra, where officials stopped over 50 trucks carrying arecanut from Karnataka.

The FDA officials seized the trucks and sent samples to laboratories for testing. Traders allege that the FDA officials have misconstrued the traditional use of chogaru—a natural coating applied during processing—as a chemical additive and have wrongly classified mechanically dehusked areca as sub-standard.

4. ED raid on PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi’s brother-in-law in Belagavi

Officials of Enforcement Directorate searched the residence of Y. Manjunath, Additional Commissioner of Excise and also the brother-in-law of PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, in Belagavi on June 24. The officials also searched the residences of his close aides and his relatives. The searches reportedly pertained to illegal transfer of money to foreign countries.

Sources said that searches began during the early hours of June 24 at Mr. Manjunath’s residence at Hanumanth Nagar in Belagavi, and his friend’s residence at Ainapur village in Athani taluk of Belagavi district. The apartment of Mr. Manjunath in Bengaluru, and the properties of his close aides in Mysuru and Arsikere were also searched.