Manipal varsity to solve parking problem in and around campus

 The CMC Commissioner D Manjunathayya has promised that parking problems in and around Manipal University campus would be solved within a month.

Speaking at the general body meeting, the commissioner said that the University officials had responded positively. He said a meeting comprising the University officials, revenue department officials and traffic police was held, where the university officials had promised to set right the problem.

He said the illegal structures on the campus were demolished and in the place systematic parking zones had been set up. The pay and use parking facility has also been introduced, he added.

Manjunathayya said the traffic police had already taken measures against vehicles that use harsh horns. As many as 200 vehicles have been fined Rs 1,000 each. He said the ground floor of Big Bazaar would henceforth be used for vehicle parking to solve the parking problem in the area.

Illegal power connection

Members Ramesh Kanchan and Prashanth Bhat alleged that 396 rooms in the Manipal University were illegally drawing power for the past four months.

They demanded action against the University. Commissioner said that he would write a letter to the Mescom officials. He said that as many as 15,39,250 square metres of area in the University campus came under tax while hospital and other 58 structures were exempted from tax.

Opposition leader M R Pai alleged that there was a  ‘deal’ between the university and the ruling party. The allegations led to heated arguments among the members.

Meanwhile, the ruling party member Prashant Ameen accused the president of partiality. He said the funds released under SC/ST component was used by the president for his ward Subramanyanagar.

The president has not released any fund for Balaramnagar in Kola ward despite the area being declared as slum by government. He demanded justice and said he would complain to Deputy Commissioner over the issue.

Responding to the allegations, the president Yuvaraj said that the DC himself had taken the decision. He said any member who needs clarification should contact the DC. The DC has decided to develop one ward after the other. Retorting to the demand for justice by the member Dinaker Shetty, the commissioner said he would write a letter to the MLA to release funds for development of slums.

The commissioner said that Rs 2.58 crore out of the Rs 3 crore funds earmarked for the widening of the road at Parkala was being redeposited to the account of the CMC as the area is now under national highway jurisdiction.

The DC has said that widening work hereafter would be taken up by the national highway authority.

The members Sumitra Nayak and Dinaker Shetty criticised the house for failing to provide prior intimation over the issue.

Following which the opposition members argued that the ruling party had disrespected a woman member by ignoring her query for  the past four months.

Shetty also alleged that the auction of only a few shops in the CMC limits had been announced as against the earlier decision to auction all shops. Commissioner said that the shops in the area covering Manipal and Parkala would be considered under certain additional conditions, as the shops in the area would be acquired for national highway work in the days to come, he added.