Media Release
Udupi, Jan 6: Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna has instructed officials to redesign the proposed new gate of the Malpe Fishing Harbour in coordination with the ongoing National Highway (NH) project and to begin the work without delay.
During a site inspection with officials to review the harbour gate and highway works, the MLA said that the currently approved gate with a width of 14.4 meters, sanctioned through the Fisheries Harbour Department, was unscientific. He pointed out that once the National Highway works are completed, the existing design would cause traffic congestion and hinder vehicle movement at the harbour entrance.
In view of this, he suggested redesigning the gate to a width of 24 meters in alignment with the National Highway works. He added that he would communicate with the concerned department minister and senior officials to seek approval for additional funding required for the revised design.
The MLA also instructed that the small bridge connecting the National Highway to the Malpe harbour be widened and that both the gate and bridge works be taken up simultaneously. He stressed that the Fisheries Harbour Department and the National Highway Authority must work in coordination to ensure that fishing activities are not disrupted during the execution of the works.
Further, he directed harbour officials to immediately clear and hand over the land under the Harbour Department’s jurisdiction that is required for the National Highway project, so that the highway work can be completed without delay.
On the occasion, Malpe Fishermen’s Association president Narayana Karkera, Municipal councillor Edlin Karkada, Sundar Kalmadi, fishermen leaders Ramachandra Kundar, Dayananda Suvarna, Karunakara Salian, Shivappa Kanchan, Ratnakara Salian, Nagaraja Suvarna, Ramesh Kotian, Suresh Kundar, Fisheries Department officials Kumaraswamy, Savitha Khadri, Shobha, Prashanth, National Highway Authority of India official Manjunath Naik, and representatives of the Autorickshaw Drivers’ Association were present.