Corporation out of funds for rly. underpass at Mahakalipadpu

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 24, 2015: A ’road under bridge’ (RuB) or an underpass proposed at Mahakalipadpu railway level crossing in the city will not be realised in the near future. Making it clear at a ‘jana samparka’ (people contact) programme at Morgan’s Gate here on Feb 23, Monday, J.R. Lobo, Mangaluru City South MLA, said the railways had estimated the project cost at Rs. 24 to Rs. 26 crore.  The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) does not have funds to bear the cost of the project as yet.

The railways would take up the project only if the MCC bore half of the project cost. But the corporation did not have the required funds.  Hence it would be unavoidable but  to ask the State government to bear half of the project cost, he said.

The MLA said that he would soon meet the Minister for Infrastructure Development R. Roshan Baig to urge the government to sanction funds for the proposed project. MLA  Lobo said the corporation had paid Rs. 13 lakh as centage charge (as an advance) to the Southern Railway to confirm its interest in the project.

Referring to the RuB at Jeppu-Kudpady, Mahabala Marla, Mayor, said the Southern Railway had asked the corporation to deposit another Rs. 80 lakh in addition to Rs. 3.61 crore already paid as advance. He has asked the corporation to deposit the additional fund sought, which was pending the approval of the corporation council.

Earlier a resident of Jeppu, put before the MLA  the problems being faced by the people of the area due to absence of either an RuB or road over bridge at both level crossings. About 5,000 vehicles used the Mahakalipadpu railway level crossing to reach the National Highway 66 (Kerala-Udupi) from the city regularly. When residents of Hoige Bazar drew attention of MLA to the sewage being let out to ‘thodus’ (large open drains) in some areas, the MLA said he would visit those places with officials this week to investigate how the problems could be solved. The janasamparka programme was conducted for the people of Mangaladevi, Hoige Bazar and Bolar wards at the behest of the MLA.