Karnataka Maritime Board to start functioning soon, assures Ramanath Rai

August 25, 2015

Mangaluru, Aug 25: Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B Ramanath Rai said that a plan would be formulated to introduce a comprehensive cashew policy for the state after discussing it with concerned officials in the state government.

Speaking in response to the demands concerning the development of Dakshina Kannada submitted by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) through a memorandum in an interactive meeting organised by the commerce body here on Monday, he said that he would also look into the demand seeking change of category for the cashew industries in the state from 'Green' to 'Orange' under the Karnataka Pollution Control Act.

Speaking on the long-standing demand of setting up a State Maritime Board for Karnataka, Mr Rai said that the proposal of establishing a State Maritime Board had been recently cleared by the Cabinet.

Towards declaring Mangaluru as one of the first 20 cities in the 'Smart City' project, the minister said that a definite plan of action would be chalked to promote the coastal city for the final selection, after holding detailed discussions with KCCI members and other stakeholders were held.

Speaking on the Yettinahole project, he said that the project aimed that providing drinking water to highly-parched districts Kolar, Chikkaballapur and rural parts of Bengaluru, in view of innumerable pleas from several MLAs in the Legislative Assembly. He refrained from talking further on the issue owing to its sensitiveness.

The KCCI also presented demands effective water management for Dakshina Kannada, relief for arecanut trade from APMC, development of old Mangalore Port, reverting to earlier land allotment policy, resolving the power situation, building a sports complex and upgradation of Mangalore railway station to international standard and promoting Mangalore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Limited.

KCCI president Nigam B Vasani welcomed the gathering, while honorary secretary Jeevan Saldanha proposed a vote of thanks. KCCI vice president Rammohan Pai Maroor introduced the chief guest.

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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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