With the district administration resolving the issue of acquisition of a private property, the pending work to construct the twin road underbridge (RUB) beneath the Netravathi Cabin on Mangaluru-Shoranur railway line and developing the four-lane road from the road underbridge to Morgans Gate has now gained steam.
The work is part of Mangaluru Smart City Limited’s (MSCL) development of a four-lane 18-m wide connecting road from NH-66 (near Netravathi Bridge) to Morgans Gate at an estimated cost of ₹50 crore. The work is taken up to resolve the commuting woes of people from South Mangaluru going towards Thokkottu and Kerala and also of visitors from those areas coming to the central business district. The project also provides access to waterfront development activities proposed between Netravathi Bridge and Bolar Sea Face.
MSCL has almost completed the first part of the work of constructing the four-lane road between NH-66 and the proposed road underbridge. Issues concerning acquisition of the private property, more so of a portion of land owned by Café Coffee Day owner Late V.G. Siddahartha, delayed the execution of other part of the road work.
An MSCL official said that a little over an acre of land of Coffee Day between the proposed road underbridge and Morgans Gate was recently acquired.
For the last seven days, work is on to clear the vegetation with the removal of some old trees, including two banyan trees, and a bamboo tree. The official said that the road work will start soon after the undulating terrain is levelled.
“It is sad to see the green vegetation going away. But we cannot do anything as this is for larger development of the city,” said autorickshaw driver Mohammed Anwar, who is among the owners of houses in the area who have received TDR for parting away with their land for development of the road.
The MSCL official said that Southern Railway has awarded contract to an agency for constructing the twin road underbridges under the railway line. As much as ₹30.7 crore from MSCL will be utilised for the work. The remaining ₹19.87 crore coming from MPLAD funds will be utilised for the construction and widening of the approach roads.
