Mangaluru City Corporation council in its meeting on Friday decided to buy some more time to take a final decision on regularising 210 unauthorised autorickshaw parking places in the city.
The meeting decided to seek a report from the Standing Committee on Town Planning and Improvement and later take a decision by tabling the report before the council.
Mayor Premananda Shetty presided over the meeting. It was his last meeting as Mayor as election to the offices of a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor is scheduled on March 2.
Mr. Shetty told the council that the traffic police who after conducting spot inspection along with office-bearers of autorickshaw unions/owners have urged the corporation to issue a temporary order regularising unauthorised parking places.
Responding to it, Opposition Congress members A.C. Vinayraj, M. Shashidhar Hegde, Naveen R. D’Souza and others said that the area councillors have not been taken into confidence. Hence, there is a need to conduct a spot inspection. And, a decision on whether to regularise them will have to be taken later, they said.
Replying to this, the Mayor said that a decision will be taken after getting a report from the committee.
Mr. Shetty said that the State Government is expected to issue an order reducing water tariff for domestic consumers in the city in a few days. The department concerned has orally agreed to reduce tariff after holding talks with officials. “The Government Order is expected in a day or two,” the Mayor said.
Mr. Shetty said that he, as Mayor, made efforts for integrated development of the city in the last one year. The online payment of property tax and online renewal of trade licence by making online payment were introduced in the last one year. Water supply projects have been given a push, he said.
Whip in the Council Sudhir Shetty Kannur said that the projects under the Smart City Mission are being implemented at a brisk pace since a year.
Mr. Hegde said that the Central Market building was demolished two years ago. No efforts are being made to rebuild it. With this, the corporation is only losing revenue. In addition, many traders who used to operate in the market have lost their livelihood. The market place has now become a spot for dumping waste, he said.
Earlier, the Congress staged a protest outside the corporation building against the administration stating that the BJP has failed to give an able administration. It has failed on many fronts, the Congress leaders said.
