Mangaluru: More than six years after the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) council passed a resolution to allot housing sites to 33 homeless Koraga families in Vamanjoor, the beneficiaries continue to wait for land distribution and the promised housing project. Despite repeated appeals from community organisations and renewed protests, officials have cited technical and environmental hurdles for the prolonged delay.
Community still waiting for promised land
The Karnataka Adivasi Hakkugala Samanvaya Samiti, Vamanjoor Unit, has consistently urged both the city corporation and elected representatives to implement the 2018 resolution. According to Samiti state coordinator Krishnappa Konchady, the delay is primarily attributed to technical clearances required from environment and forest authorities.
He said that while a bidding process for constructing houses was initiated recently, it remained incomplete due to pending approvals. The 2018 resolution had envisaged allotting individual plots and constructing permanent houses for 33 Koraga families living without secure land rights.
Historic land donation remains unused
Konchady pointed out that the land earmarked for the project—9.8 acres in Kudupu village—was originally donated in 1930 by Venkoji Rao, a disciple of social reformer Kudmul Ranga Rao, specifically for the welfare and upliftment of the Koraga community. Yet, even after 95 years, the donated land has not been distributed to the intended beneficiaries.
A Rs 2.7 crore project approved by the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) for developing basic amenities such as roads and drainage in the area has also seen slow progress. Although work began about nine months ago, community members said that the development remains incomplete.
Rising costs add to families’ struggles
The government has sanctioned Rs 4 lakh per house under the project. However, families must arrange the remaining construction cost on their own. With prices of essential building materials—including laterite stones and sand—having sharply increased in recent months, many Koraga households fear they will be unable to afford their share.
Several families currently live in makeshift or temporary shelters, unable to start construction without both land allotment and adequate financial support.
Community voices frustration
According to Kariya K, president of the Samiti’s Vamanjoor unit, community members have been fighting for the allotment for nearly eight years. “We have shared our grievances with the representatives, but there are no leaders left in this district who are willing to listen to us,” he said, expressing deep disappointment over the lack of political response.
Last week, the Samiti staged a protest in front of the MCC office to condemn the continued delay and demand immediate action on site allocation and project completion.
MCC says steps underway
An MCC official said the city corporation has been working to expedite the necessary processes. While acknowledging the delays, the official maintained that efforts are ongoing to resolve pending technical hurdles and push the project forward.
For the Koraga families, however, the wait continues, with hopes that the long-promised land and housing support will finally be delivered.