Mangaluru: A meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office to review the Road and Drain Improvement Works under the Nagarothana Project Phase-2 here, on March 10.
Addressing the gathering, District minister in-charge Ramanath Rai said that under the Nagarothana Project Phase-2, there were 54 development projects in the district, out of which 41 are completed. The deadline to complete all projects was March 10, but 13 projects are still pending. Out of the 13, 5 projects are under completion and 8 have remained pending since two years. The project is being managed by the Niketan Consultants, Bengaluru.
He also said that the delay in work is not acceptable. The contractors have been delaying the completion of work from the past two years. In Sullia, the Chief Minister’s Town Development Scheme is still pending. A three month period has been given to complete the same.
Taluk officials said that the interlocks are not fixed in a proper manner and the quality is also not upto the mark. Cheap quality interlocks have been placed for pedestrians to walk. For the development work in the district, Rs 26.11 crore has been sanctioned, out of which Rs 24.98 crore has already been spent towards developing the roads and drainage. Out of 64.8 km road, 51.17 km road work has been completed and out of 13.07 km drainage 10.07 kms have been completed.
DC Ibrahim also said that the project should have completed by April 2. “Yet, even though the work is being carried in an extended period, the concerned officials do not attend the meeting regularly. Instead they send the juniors to attend the meeting, which shows the extent of their responsibility towards the development work.”
One week time has given to Niketan Consultants to visit the taluks and the development sites and come up with solutions to the problems that are preventing the project completion. The DC also said that the drainage work in Bantwal is pending due to road widening issue. The 60 mm thick interlock pavers also need to be replaced with 80 mm and the defective CC road work has to be rectified in Bantwal.
A review meeting on tourism was also held. Some of the issues discussed were the addition of Infant Jesus Church and Mudipu Church in the city’s tourism map, tourist guide training for SC/ST, Karnataka Darshana 2014-15 for government high school students and buses to Panambur beach.
MLA Shakuntala Shetty, MCC commissioner Hephsiba Rani, MLC Ivan D’Souza and CEO ZP P I Sreevidya were also present.
