mangalore today

Greater Mangaluru proposal on the back burner?


Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 16, 2015:  proposal to form Greater Mangaluru by merging 18 local bodies on the outskirts of the city, appears to have been put on the back burner as the focus has shifted to the Union government’s smart city project.


The decade-old proposal, which was in the dormant state, had come to the fore after Vinay Kumar Sorake took charge as the Urban Development Minister two years ago.


Greater Mangaluru proposal on the back burner?However, the Minister while talking to the media recently said the State government was keen on having Mangaluru on the list of smart cities as Ullal has been upgraded as city municipality and its neighouring Kotekar as town panchayat.

The former Deputy Commissioner N. Prakash, as the administrator of the city corporation two years ago, pushed the Greater Mangaluru proposal.

Later, just before the corporation council elections, the idea got a fresh impetus when the then Commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde Shanadi mooted the proposal with policy makers here for taking an appropriate decision on it.

But, B. Ramanath Rai, Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, left it to the elected council to take a decision.

Though officials did try to pursue the proposal in the council last year, the efforts did not fructify as the then Mayor Mahabala Marla said the subject needed thorough discussion before placing it before the council.

The then Mayor said it would be discussed at a special meeting of the council, but it did not materialise.

 

Courtesy: The Hindu