Rail projects: corporation needs Rs. 23 crore.

With a road underbridge at Padil-Bajal railway level-crossing expected to be a reality, the Mangalore City Corporation needs at least Rs. 23 crore for constructing two more road underbridges and an equal number of road overbridges in the city.

The road underbridge at Padil-Bajal level crossing, near Mangalore Junction railway station, for which Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda will lay the foundation stone soon, will be built on equal cost-sharing basis by the Railways and the State government.

But for the road underbridges at Mahakalipadpu and Jeppu Kudpady, and road overbridges at Morgan’s Gate and near Marnamikatta Circle (totally four projects), either the city corporation or the State government would have to pump in the funds.

Sources in the corporation told The Hindu that the railways had told the civic body that the four projects would have to be taken up through entire 'deposit contribution' by the State government or the corporation and the Southern Railway would not bear its cost.

The five projects as a whole, including the bridge at Padil-Bajal, required Rs. 26.7 crore, in which the State government and the corporation have so far paid Rs. 3.01 crore to the Southern Railway. It included the State government's 50 per cent share for the road underbridge at Padil-Bajal and the advance payment made by the corporation to the Southern Railway for all the three bridges.

The corporation believes that it need not pay any more to the Southern Railway for the bridge at Padil-Bajal. They said as the corporation has not reserved the balance amount required for the four projects in its budget for 2014-15, it is now expecting the State government to bear the entire cost.

Mayor Mahabala Marla told The Hindu that he would request Mr. Gowda to review the decision of the railways as otherwise it would be difficult for the corporation to bear Rs. 23 crore. He would also bring it to the notice of B. Ramanath Rai, Minister in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, soon.



THE HINDU