Water-logging at the newly built underpass at Padil-Bajal railway crossing near Mangaluru Junction Railway Station will continue for at least another three months as no solution has been worked out to drain out water permanently.
This came to light at the review of development works of Mangaluru City Corporation by Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim here on Tuesday.
N. Shivashankar Swami, Superintending Engineer and also Deputy Commissioner (Development) of the corporation, said that the underpass has been built two feet below the level of a natural storm-water drain across the road. Hence, rainwater enters the underpass resulting in water-logging. As there was also seepage, water gets accumulated in the underpass. Mr. Swami attributed the problem to “planning defect” by those who designed it.
Now, water was being pumped out from the underpass. Buses and other vehicles cannot ply on the underpass for at least another three months. Traffic has been diverted from the road.
Wondering whether pumping out water would be a solution, Mr. Ibrahim said that it won’t work in the coastal belt. The corporation engineers did not have a permanent solution to water-logging at the underpass.
He directed the engineers, and also councillors, to sit with the Railway engineers and work out a permanent solution. The problem should not recur during the next rainy season, he said.
Bus stand project
The Superintending Engineer said that the corporation has written to the Infrastructure Development Department to prepare a financial feasibility report on the-state-of-the-art bus stand proposed at Pumpwell. The department has been requested to draft the document for a global-level bid to be called for to take up the project.
It was as suggested by the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC). Earlier, the corporation council had resolved to ask the KUIDFC to prepare the report. The KUIDFC said that as the Infrastructure Development Department had the expertise, it would be better for the corporation to approach that department.
Mr. Ibrahim asked the corporation to pursue the project at every level.
Mayor Harinath and chairpersons of standing committees, Opposition Leader in the council Roopa D. Bangera were present.
