Mangalore Corporation to widen 19 traffic junctions in city

Rs. 13.69-crore proposal approved on Monday

Traffic at Kankanady junction in Mangalore on Tuesday. Photo: R. Eswarraj

The traffic-heavy Karangalpady, Kankanady and Karavali junctions are among 19 traffic junctions in the city which the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) has proposed to widen.

The corporation proposes to spend about Rs. 13.69 crore for strengthening them. The council of the civic body approved the project on Monday.

Some of the other junctions in the widening and/or strengthening list are Rao and Rao Circle; Clock Tower junction; Lower Bendoor junction; Kavoor junction; Circuit House junction; Navbharat junction; Avery junction; City Hospital junction; PVS Circle, Bunts Hostel Circle, Mallikatta junction, Hampankatta junction, Ambedkar (Jyothi) Circle, Bondel junction and Nandigudde junction.

Nirmiti Kendra would take up the widening works of the PVS and Hampankatta junctions and Ambedkar Circle.

Ashok Kumar D.K., chairman, standing committee for town planning and improvement, told The Hindu that after widening the Mallikatta Junction, the road from the junction to Kadri Manjunatha temple would be upgraded as a concrete road. While doing so, all overhead electrical lines on the stretch would be laid underground. Probably this would become the city’s first road without overhead electric lines, he said. The council has agreed to pay Rs. 24.20 lakh to the Southern Railway as “centage charge” (advance) for constructing two additional road over bridges parallel to the existing ones at Morgan’s Gate and near Marnamikatta Circle from the corporation’s general fund. It has also approved the decision of the Mayor to seek Rs. 12.10 crores from the State government for building them.

The council also agreed to release Rs. 25 lakh to Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) as its share for publishing the ‘Mangalore Darshana’ book to be brought out by the MUDA. The book is expected to be releases before June next year.

Mayor Mahabala Marla said the city corporation would join hands with the Union government in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. A special cleanliness drive of the city would be started for a month from October 2.