Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Akshy Sridhar on Thursday said widening of the 2.5 km stretch of erstwhile NH 75 between Bhagwan Mahaveer Circle (Pumpwell) and Padil will shortly be taken up in association with Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. He was responding to a query by members of the Opposition in this regard during the ordinary meeting of MCC Council here. Mr. Sridhar said the road would be widened to 18 metres at an estimated cost of ₹30 crore.
Work commencement got delayed as the work of shifting the drinking water main pipeline from Thumbe to the city as well as underground drainage lines have to be shifted. The shifting works would cost MCC about ₹12 crore, he said.
Councillor Poornima said the corporation should continue the eviction drive against unauthorised petty shop vendors encroaching upon public spaces including footpaths and roads. She said some shop owners allow these petty traders to operate from footpaths in front of their shops and urged the corporation to suspend their trade licenses. Stating that the Opposition does not object to the drive, Congress councillor Abdul Rauf urged officials to be humane and not destroy equipment of petty traders. They would have got the items by availing loan or through government schemes, he said.
Presiding over the meeting, Mayor Premananda Shetty said the corporation would conduct workshops for members as well as councillors before formalising formation of ward committees. A roadmap for the comprehensive development of the ward would be presented at the workshop, he said. MCC has also decided to provide an additional ₹25 lakh development grant for every councillor in addition to the present ₹25 lakh.
Mr. Shetty urged councillors to submit action plan before January end.