By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

Giving a one-month deadline to the Southern Railway and Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. (MSCL) to complete and commission the twin Railway Under Bridge (RuB) project at Mahakalipadpu, MLC Ivan D’Souza threatened on Tuesday that people themselves will complete the pending works and open the RuB later.

Leading a protest by the Congress at Mahakalipadpu the MLC criticised Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Capt. Brijesh Chowta and Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath for not able to get the project completed even after four years of its launch.

“It is unfortunate that the MP and MLA could not get the RuB completed in four years. It reveals that both do not have political will to get the project completed. Hence it is better for them to resign,” Mr. D’Souza said.

The MLC said that the RuB on the busy Morgan’s Gate-Jeppu Patna (NH 66 Junction) road served as the “gateway” to the central business district from the national highway 66.

The MLC said that if the RuB is not opened in a month from now, the Congress will stage a protest in front of the Southern Railway’s office in Mangaluru and lay siege to its office.

The Congress workers shouted slogans against the MP and MLA for not able to get the project completed.

While laying the foundation stone for the project, being funded by the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (₹30.7 crore) and the MPLAD funds (₹19.87 crore), on March 28, 2021, the then MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had announced that the project would get completed in 12 months.

Ever since the road was closed for traffic on December 21, 2022, all vehicles, except two-wheelers, heading from the central business district towards Thokkottu, Ullal, and Kasargod were made to take a detour via Pumpwell Circle.

The Southern Railway and the MSL have missed the extended and the latest February 2025 deadline to complete the project.