Will Udupi get its own Airport?

coastaldigest.com news network
September 28, 2017

In what could open up air transport opportunities in Udupi district, a private company has proposed an investment to the tune of Rs 500 crore for the construction of an airport in Byndoor taluk. If the state government and Airport Authority of India (AAI) come forward with a positive response and sufficient land, the establishment of an airport can be facilitated in the next few years.

Meanwhile, former minister and Kaup MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake, speaking at the World Tourism Day programme in Udupi on Wednesday said that the state government is planning on setting up an airport that would improve air connectivity in the coastal belt with Udupi district as the next destination in mind.

Construction of an airport is expected to increase the inflow of tourists to Udupi district. Attempts have been on from over a decade for the establishment of a small-scale airport at Ottinene in Byndoor. The attention of the state government was drawn towards this goal through the continued efforts of R N Shetty partnership firm and Shree Mookambika Temple authorities.

Byndoor already has a state-of-the-art railway station. Likewise, development of road transport facilities and four-laning of the national highway are being carried out.

Dozens of people from the nearby towns of Shiroor and Bhatkal arrive and depart for foreign countries on a daily basis via Mangaluru International Airport. A small-scale Airport at Byndoor or any other parts of Udupi will help these passengers to reach home early as the road trip consumes time.

The renowned shrine of Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur near Byndoor is also frequently visited by hundreds of devotees. If an airport is established in Byndoor, it will facilitate devotees and visitors from other states.

The proposal

With a keen interest on development of tourism and employment opportunities in the state, Supreme Group, a Mumbai based company has reportedly shown interest to invest in the establishment of an airport in Byndoor. Recently, the company had written to Byndoor MLA K Gopal Poojary expressing its willingness to invest a sum of Rs 500 crores, if the state government was ready to provide 250 acres of government land for this purpose. The government is yet to take a formal decision in this regard.

Aside from the establishment of an airport, there are ample opportunities for development of tourism and investment for companies in Byndoor as well as other coastal towns from Udupi to Karwar.

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News Network
March 26,2024

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained two suspects in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case in Bengaluru, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

The preliminary probe has revealed that the two suspects were in direct contact with the suspected bomber.

The NIA sleuths have picked up the suspects from an area in the state capital. However, a statement is yet to be made by the NIA in this regard.

Even as the investigating agencies, both NIA and state special wing CCB teams have launched an extensive search operation in various states, the bomber has remained elusive. The authorities had obtained the bomber’s images and videos from CCTV footage on March 1, soon after the incident.

Sources said that the sleuths were suspecting that the bomber had come from Tamil Nadu and was staying in a neighbouring state for two months before carrying out the blast.

The hair samples of the accused were gathered from the hat of the accused which he abandoned in Bengaluru near a religious place. The authorities have sent the samples for the DNA testing and were hoping for a breakthrough.

The Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast took place on March 1 on the International Technology Park Limited (ITPL) road in the Brookfield area. Low intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was used to carry out the blast and nine persons were injured in the incident.

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News Network
March 15,2024

water.jpg

Bengaluru, Mar 15: Work from home to using toilets in malls, residents of India's 'Silicon Valley' Bengaluru are exploring all options to combat the unprecedented water crisis. People across various neighbourhoods have been forced to order food from restaurants and take bath on alternate days due to the water scarcity.

Even those in high-rise apartments equipped with water harvesting systems now find themselves reliant on water tankers for basic needs, leading to stringent usage restrictions.

Eateries are mulling over use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water.

Educational institutions are also feeling the pinch. Recently, a coaching centre in the city asked its students to attend classes online due to an 'emergency' for a week. Similarly, a school on Bannerghatta Road was also closed, asking students to attend classes online just like they did during the Covid pandemic.

Residents have come with up new methods to try and conserve water. With temperature rising, it is difficult to avoid a daily shower but they are left with no option but to take bath on alternative days, said Sujatha, a resident of KR Puram.

"What to do? Clean vessels, cook food, wash clothes....so, we have started using paper plates, that way we have cut down on our water usage. And we order food twice a week. We are using the washing machine only once in a week now," she said.

Some others have resorted to visiting a mall to take a shower or use the toilet facilities.

Lakshmi V, an IT professional living in Singasandra, has been requesting her firm to allow WFH option so that she and her family can temporarily shift to her native place in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu until the situation becomes better.

"If the situation persists, we are thinking of seeking a work from home option. We are planning to move to our native place in Tamil Nadu temporarily till rain arrives here," she said.

Bengaluru primarily gets its water supply from two sources - Cauvery river and groundwater. For most non-drinking uses, recycled water processed by sewage treatment plants is used. With no rain for a while now, the primary sources have been stretched to their limits. Bengaluru needs 2,600-2,800 million litres of water daily, and the current supply is half of what's required. The result is a daily struggle for the city's residents.

The brunt is also being borne by people living in the outskirts of Bengaluru, especially in 110 villages that were merged with the city in 2007.

The crisis has also turned into a political battle between the state's ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP with Lok Sabha just weeks away. While the BJP has held several protests blaming the government, the Congress has accused the BJP-ruled federal government of not providing financial assistance to drought-hit Karnataka.

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News Network
March 16,2024

Mangaluru: In the wake of complaints regarding middlemen menace, sleuths of Lokayukta on Friday, March 15, conducted a raid at the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority. 

The Lokayukta team found unaccounted money and several files, which were not disposed of for a long period.

Lokayukta SP CA Simon said that the Lokayukta has received complaints that middlemen have been interfering in the MUDA office, and files pertaining to the public are not being cleared on time.

A raid that commenced in the evening on March 13, lasted for 18 hours. During the raid, Lokayukta officials found cash in a bag in MUDA office, and also with officials and others. MUDA officials could not inform the source of money found in their office, the SP said.

Further, he said that many people gathered at the MUDA office during the Lokayukta raid, and have raised complaints about the harassment at the urban development authority. “We have gathered evidence for MUDA officials carrying out file disposal processes through brokers on phone calls. The investigation on the MUDA network will be continued,” he said.

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