Dharmendra Pradhan visits Lady Goschen Hospital, assures funds for new block

April 5, 2015

Mangaluru, Apr 5: Union Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said that the government would shortly release funds necessary for the completion of the new block of Lady Goschen Hospital, Mangaluru sponsored by ONGC-MRPL.

Speaking after conducting an inspection of the government maternity hospital in the city on Sunday, he told mediapersons that the delay in releasing funds was caused due to the fluctuation in profits earned by Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), which was a subsidiary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.

He assured that the funds would be released shortly, in time for the completion of the construction of the new block.

The foundation of the new block of the hospital was laid in March 2013, and was scheduled to be completed by March 2015 as per initial agreement. However, the construction work at the proposed cost of Rs 21.70 crore is yet to be completed due to deficiency of funds from the petrochemical company.

Mr Pradhan also noted the cleanliness of the hospital and lauded it for being one of the cleanest government hospitals.

The minister was accompanied by Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim, Lady Goschen Hospital superintendent Dr Shakunthala and others.

Prior to his visit to the hospital, Mr Pradhan inaugurated a cleanliness drive – an initiative of Ramakrishna Mission, Mangaluru – in front of Circuit House at Kadri, Mangaluru. He stressed on creating awareness on cleanliness among the public along with government representatives and other authorities.

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Mangaluru NRI returning from Saudi Arabia arrested over Instagram post

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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