Mahakalipadpu railway gate crossing to get underbridge

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 04, 2018: Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister U.T. Khader on October 3,  Wednesday said that the Smart City Mission for Mangaluru has several initiatives for infrastructure upgradation, including construction of a railway underbridge (RuB) to avoid the Mahakalipadpu Level Crossing on Morgan’s Gate-Jeppinamogaru Road.

Minister Khader made a statement here that Mangaluru Smart City agreed to fund the project estimated to cost Rs. 30 crore — Rs. 10 crore for railway underbridge work to be deposited with the Southern Railway and Rs. 20 crore for land acquisition and road construction.

The Mahakalipadpu Road is an important route towards Ullal, Derlakatte, Talapady as well as Kerala, heavy traffic movement is seen on this area. The level crossing gate at Mahakalipadpu on Mangaluru Central-Kannur railway line, which gets frequently closed to allow train movement, causes chaos to road traffic movement. The jinxed proposal to eliminate the level crossing gate has gained momentum now and immediate steps would be taken to implement the proposal.

Minister Khader said that the railway underbridge would be built in straight line to the existing railway underbridge beneath the Mangaluru Junction-Kannur railway line near Netravathi Cabin and a connecting road would be built after acquiring required property. The road as well as the railway underbridge would be four-lane, he said, even as sources in the Railways indicated that another two-lane railway underbridge could be added to complement the existing railway underbridge near Netravathi Cabin.

Meanwhile, the Smart City has also agreed to develop the Kadri Park area at a cost of Rs. 12 crore and the proposals include developing Kadri Park Road as a smart road and make it zero traffic zone; and aesthetically designed petty shops and many more. An indoor stadium would be built at Urva Market at a cost of Rs. 10 crore to provide space for indoor games for city residents, the Minister added.

The old slaughterhouse at Kudroli would be modernised at a cost of Rs. 15 crore, including covering the adjacent storm-water drain with concrete slabs to prevent throwing of animal waste. Though the Smart City initially intended to take up modernisation of the Central Market and construction of the bus terminal near Pumpwell, it was decided to opt for public-private partnership mode realising the huge commercial potential involved. The process to take it up through the public-private partnership mode would start soon, the minister added.