MP reviews railway related issues in Mangalore

Mangalore, Jul 29: Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel discussed the progress of various on-going and pending railway projects concerning Palghat division of South-Western Railways with railway officials at a railway grievance meeting on Monday.

During the meeting at Circuit House, Kadri on Monday, Mr Kateel raised the issue of early completion of projects such as the widening of existing railway over-bridges (ROB) at Padil and Baikampady Industrial Area.

The railway over-bridges require urgent attention to their widening as four-laning of the National Highways at Padil and Baikampady were in progress.

Additional Division Railway Manager (ADRM), Palghat division, Mohan A Menon said that the structural design for the over-bridge at Padil was pending before the Southern Railway Board for approval, which would be provided by August 30.

Officials from the National Highway Authority of India said that once the structural design for the Baikampady over-bridge was approved, work would begin.

Mr Kateel urged the officials to complete the projects at the earliest.

'World-class station at Mangalore Central station'

As Mangalore Central Station has been identified by the Railway Board to be developed as a world-class station, it will be developed through public-private-partnership (PPP). The work has been entrusted to Kochi-based Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Ltd (KITCO), and further action will be taken on acceptance of consultancy report by authorities, said Mr Menon.

Construction of new platform at Mangalore Central station

To ease the congestion of large number of passengers at Mangalore Central Station, a sum of Rs 17 crore was allotted in 2013-14 budget for the construction of 4/5th platforms at the station.

Works such as development of a second entry to the station, a new high-level island platform, shelter for passengers, compound walling, pitline, slewing of washing line, dismantling of existing structures, signalling arrangements, provision for additional foot over-bridge and extension of second foot over-bridge have been proposed under the Pink Book 2014-15 at the total expenditure of Rs 16 crores, said Mr Menon.

Pre-paid auto-rickshaw counter at Kankanady station

Mr Menon said that the pre-paid auto-rickshaw counter at Mangalore Junction would be shifted from the present location once a suitable location was identified. A shelter also had to be provided from the platform to the counter so that passengers could reach the counter without difficulty during monsoons.

Mr Kateel also instructed that the widening of the approach road from Nagori to Kankanady railway station be accelerated, and instructed the regional transport officer to issue a route permit for a KSRTC city bus trip from Panambur to Mangalore Junction during arrival and departure of trains.

Padil-Bajal under-bridge

Mr Menon said that work on the railway under-bridge project at Bajal level crossing was in progress. The soil-testing is currently in progress, following which the methodology for the construction of an under-bridge will be determined.

On the matter, Mr Kateel instructed the Mangalore City Corporation to remit the balance of Rs 19.39 lakhs to the project at the earliest.

Railway projects such as construction of over-bridge/under-bridge at Jeppu Mahakali Padpu and Jeppu Kudpadi, opening of level crossing road near APMC at Baikampady, construction of Adarsh station at Puttur, extension of Mumbai-Mangalore train upto Mangalore Central station and development of Subramanya Road station were also discussed in the meeting.

MCC assistant executive engineer Naresh Shenoy and several railway officials were present in the meeting.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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