City skywalk stalled for funds, peoples’ representatives are only to lay foundations

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 11, 2017: The city’s first skywalk project, for which the foundation stone was laid more than a year ago, has made little progress because of paucity of funds. Yet the Govt says it has ample funds.

The overhead walkway would connect the Town Hall side with the Mini-Vidhana Soudha side in the heavily crowded area.

The foundation stone for the project, mooted by Nivedith Alva before demitting office as Chairman of Karnataka Coastal Development Authority last year, was laid on August 23, 2016.

Over the last one year, the project cost has gone up from Rs. 82 lakh to Rs. 2.5 crore. Also, during the past year, the agency identified to build the skywalk has changed from the Nirmiti Kendra to the Public Works Department.

The KCDA, which mooted the project, still lacks clarity on how to meet the fund shortage. KCDA secretary Pradeep D’Souza told The Hindu that the authority had reserved Rs. 1.5 crore for the project.

The government, which has approved the revised cost, said the authority would have to bear 90% of it (Rs. 2.25 crore) and the balance (Rs. 25 lakh) would have to be borne either by the local body or drawn from the MLA’s area development fund. The project design has been changed with roof and escalators as per the revised cost, he said.

Efforts would be made to meet the shortage of KCDA’s share in the revised (supplementary) budget estimate for 2017-18 this December, he said. The Mangaluru City Corporation was yet to confirm its share. The skywalk would help passengers and students move from the Mangaluru Central Railway Station to the town hall side to board city buses, and for better safety and free passage.