Mangaluru: Underpass in front of Mangaluru Taluk Office at a cost of Rs. 7 Crore is almost complete.
This pedestrian underpass near the Clock Tower Circle in the City was long-pending dream of many citizens, which is now almost 90 per cent complete. The pedestrian underpass is 30-metre-long and 10-metre-wide, while the 20-metre-long and 10-metre-wide line from Gandhi Park to Hotel Taj Mahal stands complete with 90 per cent work accomplished. The flooring work on the footpath of Gandhi Park is in progress and the compound wall irrigation and electricity works of Park and preparatory works of Horticulture are in progress.
Smart City officials said that everything will be completed within 2 months and the work has been going on in a phased manner for the last two years.
There was a widespread criticism from the public over the slow pace of work. The Covid lockdown and slack pace of work during the rainy seasons had led to the delay in completion of the work.
This pedestrian underpass will be of use to thousands of people who come to the City from the Railway Station everyday. Earlier it was difficult to cross the road here and people had to hold on to their lives to cross the road. There had been a decade-long demand for the construction of a skywalk or underground line. Earlier, a skywalk was planned and the tender process was carried out and the foundation stone was laid by the then In-Charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai. But later the project was cancelled due to high maintenance cost. The dream of the current pedestrian underpass will see it’s fruition under Smart City Project.
