Mangaluru Set to Get Water Metro Linking Bajal And Maravoor As Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Approves The Project

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday (23 April), gave his nod to the proposed Mangaluru Water Metro project, which will link Bajal to Maravoor on both banks of the Netravati and Gurupura rivers, The Hindu reported.

The approval by the Karnataka CM came during a meeting convened to discuss inland transport projects in the state.

Touted to become India’s second-largest water transport system after Kochi, the project will be developed by the Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB), which has been tasked with preparing a detailed project report.

In the high-level meeting, the Chief Minister also approved the establishment of the Karnataka Water Transport Training Centre in Mangaluru under the Central Government’s Sagarmala project.

The meeting, held with senior maritime and transport officials, reviewed the development status of the State’s ports and deliberated on infrastructural requirements for seamless cargo movement.

Siddaramaiah directed officials to review the land allocation lease period for rehabilitation and port-related operations and submit a proposal.

He also ordered immediate action to evict the encroachers at the earliest.

In another key directive, he asked the Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada to conduct a drone survey regarding the comprehensive development of the islands identified in the district and submit a report within three months.

On the occasion, the Karnataka Chief Minister, along with Minister for Fisheries and Ports Mankal Vaidya, also released the Karnataka Inland Transport Policy, 2024.  

Assuring all support for the development of ports in the state, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to study and submit a report on how the ports in Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat are functioning.

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