Health and Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao takes MSCL Officials to Task on the Feasibility of Rs 184 Cr Netravati Promenade Project
Mangaluru: During his visit to the site of the project taken up for Rs 183.65 crore, Health and Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao expressed his displeasure over the slow pace in taking possession of the entire 2.1 km of the port land between Netravati railway bridge and the Bolar Sea Face. MSCL has proposed to develop the waterfront as an active recreational and commercial area with waterfront gardens, parks, pedestrian-friendly walkways, a bicycle track, boardwalks, a nature park, and adventure sports. The minister asked officials to work along with those using the port land and speed up the flagship waterfront promenade project of Mangaluru Smart City Limited. MSCL officials asked to work together with landholders to push forward the promenade project.
MSCL officials said they are yet to take possession of a portion of portland in Mulihithlu where the SK and Udupi District Cooperative Fish Marketing Federation runs the unit that provides kerosene and ice to fishing boats. While MSCL officials accused the federation of deliberately blocking the road and preventing works related to the project, federation representatives said MSCL has kept the federation in the dark about the project. The MSCL officials said they are yet to take possession of the portion of the portland that has been leased out to two boat repair units and a clay tiles manufacturer in the portland. The officials said a few houses and huts of fishermen have come up on the port land near the Bolar Sea Face.
Expressing his displeasure over the slow pace of taking possession of the land, Rao said, “Before designing the project, you (MSCL) should have taken possession of the land”. Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan took MSCL officials to task for the latter’s failure to put in writing the process of taking possession of the portland. Seeing the way the project is being implemented, Mr Rao said it does raise questions about the feasibility of the project. “If tomorrow the project does not come about, who will be accountable for the money that is spent,” Rao lamented. Rao then directed MSCL officials to prepare a map about persons who are in authorised and unauthorised possession along the 2.1 km of portland.
Asking MSCL officials to identify problem areas, Rao directed them to hold regular portland and speed up the process of taking possession of the portland. The Minister also directed MSCL to properly provide connecting roads for the parking facilities. When representatives of eight nomadic fishermen community families staying in thatched huts by the riverside sought relief, Mr Rao said the fishermen would be suitably rehabilitated.
Earlier, Rao visited the Mahakali Padpu twin railway underground work site which is part of the four-lane road work between Morgan’s Gate and Jeppinamogaru Cross on NH 66. He said the project was bound to provide hassle-free connectivity between the central business district and areas South of Mangaluru, including Ullal and Talapady. MLCs Manjunath Bhandary and K. Harish Kumar, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K. Anandh, MSCL Managing Director K. Raju, and former legislators J.R. Lobo and Ivan D’Souza were present.
