State releases Rs. 5 crore to build footbridges in twin districts

State releases Rs. 5 crore to build footbridges in twin districts

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 28, 2012: Addressing reporters at a press meet in Press Club, Mangalore, on June 28, Thursday, Coastal Development Authority (CDA) Chairman B. Nagaraj Shetty said that the state government has released Rs. 3 crore and Rs. 2 crore for the construction of footbridges in DK and Udupi, respectively. 

He said that the CDA had sent a proposal to the state government, in which it has pointed out the need for as many as 430 footbridges, the construction of which requires Rs. 15 crore. The Rs. 5 crore released by the government has been distributed among the Udupi and DK ZPs, and work on footbridges will soon begin, he added. 

He also said that 142 footbridges will be built in DK and 45 footbridges will be built in Udupi. 

Mr. Shetty also said that D. V. Sadananda Gowda, the chief minister of Karnataka, had promised that the government will soon release the required Rs. 10 crore and has already ordered the release of Rs. 5 crore for the construction of footbridges in Uttara Kannada. 

He informed the press that the Anthradi to Bajpe Airport road project has made progress. This project will be done on a public private partnership basis and the project has already been discussed with companies interested in taking it up. The CDA also plans to send a proposal for a two-lane road between Talapady to Majali in Karwar, he added. 

 
Regarding the Naxal issue, he said that the state government has already approached families residing in Naxal-infested areas with a rehabilitation scheme and has created a package of Rs. 100 crore for the same. The government is not forcing any family to move, but is discussing the pros and cons of shifting with each family, as a result of which 60 families have agreed to move, he said.