Expressing displeasure over the delay on the part of Mangaluru Smart City Limited in taking possession of 300m out of a 2.1-km Ports Department land, for the riverfront promenade between Nethravati bridge and the Bolar Sea Face, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan on Thursday asked MSCL to acquire the balance land and complete the work at the earliest.
In the district development coordination and monitoring committee (DISHA) meeting, chaired by Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, MSCL General Manager (Technical) K.S. Arun Prabha said the company is yet to take possession of about 300 m of the land earmarked for the promenade.
While port officials have assured of terminating the lease of land to a tiles factory and a boat construction yard, MSCL is working on the available 1,800 m land, he said.
Mr. Muhilan said there is no question of ‘requesting’ the Ports Department and MSCL should take possession of the entire land required for the project that is crucial for the city development. Tenders were finalised a year ago for the project and MSCL officials will be held responsible for any delay in its completion, the DC said.
Mr. Kateel objected to MSCL cancelling the tender for the second time for stalls on Kadri Park Road on the grounds of absence of reservation for socially backward communities.
He said no such reservations have been made for market complexes developed by the Mangaluru City Corporation.
Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur said MSCL directors were kept in the dark about the cancellation.
On the failure of an agency in completing the work of installation of 66,000 LED bulbs in street lights in Mangaluru city and maintain them, Mr. Kateel asked MCC Commissioner C.L. Anand to take necessary legal steps against the agency.
About the pipeline works of GAIL Gas and the waterline works under the Jalasiri scheme that are affecting road works in the city, including the one in between Pumpwell junction and Padil, Mr. Muhilan asked Mr. Anand to work out a schedule for grant of road cutting permission to ensure they do not affect ongoing development works.
The National Highways Authority of India officials said a stay order by the Karnataka High Court has affected the Bikarnakatte-Sanur four-lane work of NH 169. As the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board did not shift a 300-m water pipeline to the Ganjimutt export promotion investment park, a few industrialists had approached the court, they said.
Mr. Muhilan directed Industries Department Joint Director Gokuldas Nayak to immediately resolve the issue.
