Smart City: Bus terminal to be at Padil to ease out city traffic congestion

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 26, 2019: Speaking to media June 25, Tuesday, Mangaluru Smart City Ltd MD, Narayanappa, stated  that if everything goes as planned, an integrated transport hub will come up at Padil. He said that, earlier, it had been proposed to set up the integrated transport at Pumpwell.

“Now, the hub will be developed under the Smart City Mission on a PPP model. To ease the transportation system, the district administration has proposed to shift the development of the transport hub to the outskirts of the city. Already, a 20-acre site has been identified for the purpose. The total project will be around Rs 500 crore,” he added.

City congestion criteria : At Padil, bus bays will be developed  to check traffic congestion on the road. Mini satellite bus shelters too will be developed at Pumpwell and Bangra Kuloor. The bus terminus at the State Bank area will also be developed and a pedestrian pass will come up from Mangaluru Central Railway Station to Town Hall, he stated.

Stating that 44 projects will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 958.57 crore in Mangaluru under the Smart City Mission, Narayanappa said that eight wards have been covered under area-based development under the projects. “These wards will have Smart Roads and 100% underground drains to ensure that no sewage is let into open drains,” he explained.

Multi-level car parking  :   Narayanappa also said that the tender process for multi-level car parking in Hampankatta has been initiated on a PPP mode.

“Once the process commences,  more than 600 cars can be parked at the lot. It will have a commercial complex as well. About 99% of the designs has been approved and a majority of the stakeholders have also approved of the proposal. Once completed, the City Corporation will get an income of Rs 2.5 crore annually. Tender has been invited for redevelopment of the Central Market on a PPP mode,” he informed.

“An international standard swimming pool will be developed at Emmekere at an estimated cost of Rs 24.94 crore and Kadri Park will be developed at a cost of Rs 12 crore. To give priority to water conservation, two lakes – Gujjarakere and Kavoor Kere – will be rejuvenated under Smart City Mission,” he explained.

Waterfront areas  :  The MD said that development of waterfront areas is being conceptualised at an estimated cost of Rs 235 crore. At present, all the roads that lead to the waterfront are congested.

“Proposals to develop Wenlock and Lady Goschen Hospitals at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore and upgrade of Mangala Stadium at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore are also being conceptualised under the Smart City Mission,” Narayanappa added.

The MD also said that a solar recreational island will be developed on a PPP mode. “The island is being identified for the purpose,” he stated.

Command and Control Centre :

Mangaluru Smart City Ltd MD Narayanappa also said that a Command and Control Centre (CCC) under the Smart City Mission will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 38.79 crore in the first phase. The work on the infrastructure for the Centre is in progress and is likely to be completed within two months.

“Tender has been floated to construct a CCC building at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore. This will house the administrative block too. In the third phase, the DPR is being prepared to integrate all the department services under the CCC,” said the MD.

Further, he said, “Once complete, all the services of the 35 to 40 government departments will be made available at the Centre. Information on the surveillances of a CCTV camera, weather forecasting and pollution will also be given to the public once the integration of the services is completed. A sum of Rs 30 crore would be given to the Karnataka Municipal Data Society, which will have a data centre system to integrate all the seven Smart Cities in Karnataka. It will prevent the data from tampering.”

Slaughter house  :  To a query on upgrading the slaughter house at Kudroli under the Smart City Mission, MD Narayanappa said that a feasibility study is on. The firm has sought two months’ time to conduct a study after consulting an expert for opinion on the matter, he added.