To steer Mangaluru towards becoming a climate-smart and flood-resilient coastal city, KPCC member and former secretary S Mohanadass Hegde has proposed a detailed masterplan titled ‘Mangaluru Flood-Free 2030: Pumpwell and Padil Underpass Resilience Initiative’ to district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Hegde has urged the Karnataka government to designate Pumpwell and Padil, two flood-vulnerable zones, as Critical Resilience Zones (CRZs), citing repeated waterlogging and infrastructural breakdowns.
The ambitious blueprint outlines measures to eliminate flooding at major underpasses by 2027. Key strategies include real-time early warning systems, nature-based infrastructure like rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavements, and community-led disaster response models.
With a proposed budget of ₹51.5 crore, the roadmap suggests phased implementation via partnerships with the Smart City Mission, KUIDFC, CSR entities, and academic bodies like NITK and KSNDMC. Hegde further recommended forming a Special MCC Task Force to fast-track the rollout and urged an immediate commissioning of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) via NITK or IISc.
He also proposed a city-wide hackathon in 2025 to tap into innovative, grassroots flood mitigation ideas.
Hegde said this model can be a replicable framework for flood-prone cities across India, balancing climate action with urban growth through integrated, tech-driven, and inclusive planning.