MCC demands Rs 402 crore for city infrastructure development

MCC demands Rs 402 crore for city infrastructure development

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Feb 22: Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) plans to take up mega projects such as reconstructing Central Market, rejuvenating Emme Kere, constructing flyovers at Karnataka Polytechnic (KPT) and Hampankatta junctions, and constructing stormwater drains during the year 2010 - 2011. 

K N Vijayaprakash, the commissioner of the corporation, said that the MCC has submitted a proposal for infrastructure development, underlining the need for Rs 402 crore, to A G Kodgi, the chairman of Karnataka’s Third Finance Commission, this month. 

The proposal included MCC’s requirement of Rs 50 crore to renovate the Central Market, Rs 25 crore to construct a flyover at Hampankatta, and Rs 20 crore for another flyover at KPT. The MCC has also demanded Rs 40 crore to construct large stormwater drains, and Rs 14 crore to rejuvenate Emme Kere. 

The civic body has also demand Rs 4 crore for construction of railway underpasses at Morgan’s Gate and Padil and a railway overpass at Jeppu; Rs 50 crore for the construction of tar roads; and Rs 25 crore to repair existing tar roads. 

The commissioner also spoke of the need to renovate the sewage lines in Mangalore, adding that 30 percent of the residential areas lacked sewage lines. The MCC has demanded Rs 30 crore for this work. 

The civic body has also demanded funds for project such as the reconstruction of the general market at Urwa Stores and Urwa Market, the city bus stand fish market, the Car Street flower market, Kadri Park, Tagore Park, Radio Park, Town Hall, as well as land acquisition near Pumpwell for the construction of a new bus stand with modern facilities. 

Mayor M Shankar Bhat said that the State Finance Commission had sanctioned a sum of more than Rs 20 crore for 2009 - 2010, most of which was spent in constructing concrete roads and other work. 

Mr. Bhat, the executive committee member of All India Council of Mayors and vice president of Karnataka Council of Mayors, said that the state’s city corporations were incurring losses after the Octroi was lifted in the state twenty years ago. He said that, if Octroi had not been banned, the civic body would have earned additional revenue of Rs 75 crore.