The Hindu 31.01.2014
DC asks MCC to set up skywalk
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim asked the Mangalore City Corporation to build a skywalk at Hampankatta Junction and make the busy junction hassle free for motorists.
Speaking at the district level road safety committee meeting on Thursday, he also proposed to have 30 bus bays and 30 autorickshaw stands in the city.
Mr. Ibrahim directed officials to begin painting the pedestrian crossings (zebra crossing) in a week. He said that thought he reminded the Deputy Commissioner (development) of the MCC a month ago to paint the pedestrian crossings, work had not begun.
He said officials were not taking interest to construct bus bays, autorickshaw stands, footpaths, rainwater drains, paint roads at pedestrian crossings. A visibly upset DC said: “Whole meeting will become meaningless unless the MCC acts.”
Mr. Ibrahim, also the administrator of the corporation, asked the MCC to prepare the action plan within a fortnight for building the bus bays and autorickshaw stands. The skywalk will enable pedestrians to cross from the side of Wenlock Hospital to the side of Vijaya Pen Mart.
Mr. Ibrahim, also the chairman of the District Regional Transport Authority, chided the corporation for its failure to make Hampankatta Junction hassle-free for motorists.
He said that the junction was in very bad condition. “Probably Hampankatta Junction is ‘the Mangalore’. Develop it in such a way to reflect the quality of Mangalore. Give it a facelift,” Mr. Ibrahim said.
No horn zone
Though the committee in previous meeting on June 24, 2013, had identified Ambedkar Circle and Wenlock Hospital areas as ‘no horn zone’ no sign boards had been put up there, he said and asked the civic body to erect the boards immediately. Mr. Ibrahim asked the Regional Transport Officer and police to ensure that it was implemented.
The meeting decided to recommend the government to ensure all tankers transporting petroleum products on the highways have global positioning system (GPS).
