The Hindu

• Steps will be taken to plug the leakage of water from pipelines and pilferage: official 
• ‘Laying of additional pipeline from Thumbay to Mangalore on verge of completion’
• Bus-stand near Mangalore Junction Railway Station on the cards

Mangalore, Nov 26: Mangalore City Corporation will send a proposal to the State Government soon seeking its permission to build modern markets at Surathkal and Jeppu, city corporation’s Commissioner Sameer Shukla said on Monday.

Speaking on “City development” at the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) he said that the corporation had already sent a proposal to the Government to build modern markets at Urwa, Bejai and Hampankatta old bus stand and its clearance was awaited.

Referring to water supply he said that the city would get an additional 18 million gallons of water a day (MGD) from the Thumbay vented dam once the laying of the additional main pipeline from the dam to the city was completed. The laying of pipeline was under progress and laying of pipeline of a 2.5-km length was pending. The corporation was exploring the possibility of supplying water from Lakhya dam in Kudremukh to the city. This might be a reality soon, he said.

Assurance

Stating that the corporation was aware of leakage in pipelines and pilferage in the main supply line between Thumbay and the city, Mr. Shukla said that efforts were being made to plug them.

The corporation had formed a team to verify if all the water connections were authorised. It was also planning to provide high quality water meters to consumers.

Roads

Referring to roads the Commissioner said that the civic body was committed to lay footpaths and stormwater drains on roads which were being developed. “We will not ignore pedestrians,” he said.

He said that the Government was yet to approve a proposal to concrete the stretch between Prabhat Cinema and PVS Circle on Karnad Sadashiva Rao Road. Once the approval was received, the work on laying footpaths along the entire road from PVS Circle to Hampankatta Circle would be taken up, he said.

Bus-stand

Mr. Shukla said that the corporation was planning to construct a bus-stand near Mangalore Junction Railway Station. In addition, land acquisition to construct a bus-stand near Mahaveera Circle was under way, he said.

To a question on the corporation allowing construction of a high-rise building on the K. S. Rao Road, he said an inquiry had been initiated in this regard.

Earlier, Srinivas S. Kamath, president of KCCI, submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner. The KCCI urged the commissioner to persuade the corporation to give its share to construct a railway under-bridge near Mangalore Junction Railway Station.