Commuting woes of residents of South Mangaluru towards Thokkottu and Kerala as well as visitors from those areas to central business district are on the way of getting addressed with the foundation stone being laid for two twin Railway under bridges (RUBs) and development of connecting road at Mahakalipadpu on Sunday.
With frequent passing of trains to and from Mangaluru Central, the gate at the Mahakalipadpu Railway Level Crossing gets closed frequently that results in vehicles lined up at both the ends on the narrow stretch of the road. The stretch has been a thoroughfare between Jeppinamogaru (National Highway 66) and the central business district, including Hampanakatte, Fishing Harbour and surrounding areas with thousands of vehicles making use of the same for daily commute.
The existing narrow road with width varying from 4.5 m to 5 m would be widened to a uniform width of 18 m with four lane carriageway, concrete box drainages, street lights and other facilities at a total cost of ₹50 crore. Of the 1,0789 m long road between NH 66 Junction and Morgan’s Gate, 941 m would be 18 m wide and 137b m near the Junction would be 24 m wide.
Of this, ₹30.7 crore, coming from Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. (MSCL) would be utilised for the construction of two twin RUBs while ₹19.87 crore from the MPLAD funds would be utilise for the construction and widening of the approach road.
The four-lane road would not take the existing alignment; but moves on a new alignment. The existing two-lane RUB under the Mumbai Railway line would be demolished and a twin RUB with box pushing technology would be built at the same spot. While the existing road from the NH junction takes a right turn after this RUB towards Mahakalipadpu level crossing gate, the new alignment has proposed another twin RUB beneath the Mangaluru Central line, just after the Mumbai line.
Thereafter, the new road passes besides the Yenepoya Timber factory and joins Morgan’s Gate via Shettibettu Junction, said MSCL’s General Manager Arun Prabha.
Interest on funds for spillover projects
D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Mangaluru South MLA, on Sunday said legislators of smart city project cities have urged the government not to divert interest amounts accumulated on smart city project funds for other purposes. The same should be allowed to be utilised for spill over projects in respective cities, the MLAs have told the government, he said.
Amounts ranging from ₹20 crore to ₹40 crore have got accumulated in different smart cities as interest on funds. While the government cannot meddle with smart city funds, with the interest, it could. However, the legislators have urged the government to leave the amount to respective smart cities.
With such funds, Mr. Kamath told The Hindu that the administration could take up spill over works or other works for which funds could not be arranged. He was planning to utilise such funds for works, including junction improvement at Jeppinamogaru at the intersection of Mahakalipadpu Road with NH 66 and other works, the MLA said.
