U T Khader directs officials to make Mangaluru pothole-free city before Dasara

News Network

September 27, 2018

Mangaluru, Sept 27: U T Khader, Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge has instructed officials concerned to fill potholes on all roads leading to the city and in the city before the start of Mangaluru Dasara.

Chairing a Karnataka Development Programme Review Committee meeting here on Wednesday, he asked Mangaluru City Corporation, Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to swing into action to make all roads motorable.

The Minister asked the corporation to complete the median painting of roads in the city, repair all street lights and make all roads motorable before the Dasara celebrations.

Z Samson Vijay Kumar, Mangaluru Project Director, NHAI, told the meeting that the potholes on Pumpwell and Nanthoor Junctions would be filled within a week.

He reiterated that Navyug Udupi Tollway Pvt. Ltd. has given it in writing that it would complete work on the flyover at Thokkottu by the end of December 2018 and the one at Pumpwell would be completed by March, 2019.

Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S. suggested that the Minor Irrigation Department can conduct an impact study before building vented dams under the Paschima Vahini Project in the district. “Don’t take it up merely as a civil project,” he said, quoting the example of the dam built across the Phalguni (Gurupura) at Malavoor on the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) area and within the tidal zone of the Arabian Sea, which has created an issue of blockage of freshwater flow into the river reducing dissolved oxygen concentration. There should be a comprehensive study, he said.

Rajesh Naik U., MLA, Bantwal, Meenakshi Shantigodu, president, Zilla Panchayat, Selvamani R., CEO, zilla panchayat, and others were present.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments