Mangaluru: Fishermen, activists raise concerns over waterway service between Hoige Bazar and Kuloor on Gurupura river

Mangaluru: Fishermen, activists raise concerns over waterway service between Hoige Bazar and Kuloor on Gurupura river

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 18, 2025: Fishermen, residents, and activists on Thursday expressed their concern over the proposed ‘Development of Waterways on Gurupura River project’ in Mangaluru Taluk.

The project will be carried out by the Karnataka Inland Waterways Authority at a total cost of ₹29 crore.

Speaking at the environmental public hearing meeting here on Thursday, Prasanna Kumar, Executive Engineer, Ports and Fisheries Department, said that as part of the project, it was proposed to connect the waterway route from Hoige Bazar to Kuloor Bridge with the national highway.

To start with, the Ro-Ro service will be developed at a cost of ₹13 crore.

A concrete jetty will come up in Kuloor (near Kuloor Bridge) and in Hoige Bazar. Dredging will be done on the route for about three metres for the movement of Ro-Ro vessels. Two terminal buildings will be built and two floating jetties and a Ro-Ro vessel will be procured.

It was for the first time that the Ro-Ro service was being planned in the State. Around 200 people can commute daily in the Ro-Ro vessel and each vessel has a capacity to carry 400 tonnes of cargo, he said.

Deputy Commissioner H.V. Darshan, who chaired the meeting, said the Ro-Ro service would save commuters and transporters on fuel. The waterway route will be an alternative commuting route during natural disasters, he said.

President of Trawl Boat Owners’ Association Chetan Bengre said the project should not come in the way of the Mangaluru Fisheries Port Development works.

The association’s vice-president, Ibrahmin Bengre, said breakwater mechanisms should be in place to prevent accumulation of sand on the Ro-Ro route.

Terming the Ro-Ro project as waste of public money, activist B.K. Imtiyaz said that traditional fishermen would be majorly affected with the movement of Ro-Ro vessels.

Former councillor Abdul Lateef and Kasba Bengre Jamat president Bilal Mohiuddin said the residents of Bengre island have already been affected by Jetty works. The new work will add to their problems, especially in terms of commute from their land to the city.

Traditional boat fisherman Abdul Tayub said that officials have kept them in the dark about the project, which have affected their livelihood.

The meeting was held in South Wharf of Old Mangaluru Port.