The Udupi district administration sent a proposal to the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department last year to create two new town municipal councils (TMCs) and seven new town panchayats in the district, according to sources in the Deputy Commissioner's office.
The proposal also seeks to expand the Udupi City Municipal Council by bringing under its jurisdiction 10 villages that are located around the city.
The proposal states that Brahmavar can be made a TMC by merging the gram panchayats of Varambally, Harady, Chantar and Handady, which will have a total population of 27,681.
The second TMC would be formed by merging Tenka, Hejmady, Bada, Yellur, Belapu and Palimar gram panchayats with Padubidri. After merger, the population of this TMC would be 45,363.
Four new town panchayats have been proposed in Udupi taluk, the sources said. Kaup Town Panchayat will have Kaup, Mallaru and Uliyargoli gram panchayats with a total population of 18,785. The Katapady Town Panchayat will have Katapady, Kote and Kurkalu gram panchayats with a population of 19,582. The Shirva Gram Panchayat with a population of 13,281 and the Perdoor Gram Panchayat with a population of 10,565 would be converted into two separate town panchayats. Three town panchayats have been proposed in Kundapur taluk. The Shiroor Gram Panchayat with a population of 15,131, the Uppunda Gram Panchayat with a population of 11,073 and the Gangolli Gram Panchayat with a population of 12,090 have all been proposed to be made town panchayats.
It is proposed to expand the Udupi City Municipal Council by including 10 gram panchayats of Udyavar, Kadekar, Ambalapady, Thenkanidiyur, Badanidiyur, Kemmannu, Kallianpur, Yembathu Badagabettu, Athrady and Alevoor in its jurisdiction. The total population of these panchayats is 72,298.
Deputy Commissioner P. Hemalatha told The Hindu on Monday that the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj had not yet responded to the proposal.
