It has been two years now since Mangalore City Corporation completed concreting major roads in the city. Many of those roads still lack storm-water drains and pavements.
Deputy Speaker in the Assembly and Mangalore City South MLA N. Yogish Bhat laid the foundation stones for constructing storm-water drains on three roads in Mangalore South on September 4, 2012. Even after two months, the work has not begun.
The foundation stones were laid for constructing storm-water drains on either side of the road from Rao and Rao Circle to Clock Tower at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.08 crore; from Mangalore Central Railway Station to Koti Chennaya Circle in Nandigudda (one side) at an estimated cost of Rs. 95.80 lakh; and from A.B. Shetty Circle to Subhash Nagar Junction (one side) at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.31 crore. The projects were entrusted to Dakshina Kannada Nirmiti Kendra.
While laying the foundation stone, Mr. Bhat went on record that the projects would be implemented by using Rs. 20 crore the State government had released to the corporation as the second instalment of Rs. 100 crore special grants sanctioned to the civic body.
Kalbhavi Rajendra Rao, Project Director, Dakshina Kannada Nirmiti Kendra, told The Hindu that the city corporation had issued the work orders for eight projects, including the laying of three storm-water drains in Mangalore South. He attributed the delay in the commencement of work to the non-payment of advance.
A senior official at the engineering section in the civic body speaking to The Hindu claimed that the delay in the commencement of projects was due to delay in signing an agreement with the Nirmiti Kendra relating to the work. The agreement had been signed four days ago and the work would begin within a week, he added.
He said that five more projects, including the construction of storm-water drains and pavements on concrete roads, would be entrusted to the Nirmiti Kendra. Funds from the special grant would be drawn for completing them.
The official said the five other projects would include constructing storm-water drains from KSRTC Junction to Kuntikana Junction (either side of the road); from Mangalore Central Railway Station to Nandigudda Circle (another side); constructing storm-water drains and pavements on one side of Kadri Kambla Road and from Bunts’ Hostel Circle to Mallikatta Junction; and building storm-water drains on either side of the stretch from Shivbagh Junction to Horticulture Junction. The estimated cost of all the projects, including the three in Mangalore South, would be Rs. 16.71 crore.