Smart City mission adds to woes of M’luru

Experts on land use and land change had high expectations when Mangaluru Smart City Mission (MSCM) was implemented in Mangaluru. They were hoping that Mangaluru would be relieved of the unplanned urbanisation.

The project, however, caused dissappointment. The 82 different projects planned at a total cost of Rs 2,400.72 crore, including Clock Tower and unscientific smart bus shelters, appears to add to the woes of unplanned urbanisation.

But the mission's official website declares that there are plans to make Mangaluru a "livable and ecological city".

"In order to decongest the city, the mission has elaborate plans to shift all its administrative offices to the outskirts and open a separate intercity bus terminal near Kadri," MSCM Junior Urban Planner Mithun said.

There are also plans underway to make Mangaluru a maritime tourist attraction keeping the ecology in mind.

"A logistics hub is being proposed to reduce pollution and traffic mismanagement. The Water Front Development project also proposes a plan to convert the rich coastal landscape into a tourist hub with all the modern amenities. We are looking at increasing the green cover by proposing many open space parks and recreational zones within the city," he added.

Experts hope that the proposed projects are implemented without flaws, unlike the previous mega projects under Asian Development Bank-funded drainage network, which are yet to become fully operational.

-Madappa P S