Port road connectivity project by year-end

September 6, 2011

Mangalore, September 6: The ambitious 37.47 km port road connectivity project between Surathkal and BC Road will be completed by the end of this year, nearly six years after the project commenced.

Though the sanctioned cost of the project was Rs.196.50 crore, the revised estimate has pegged the cost at Rs 340 crore, according to a reply given by the minister of state in the ministry of road transport and highways Jitin Prasada.

Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had raised the question in the Lok Sabha. So far, Rs.232.44 crore has been spent on the project. Regarding the steps taken or proposed to be taken for expeditious and timely completion of the project, Prasad replied saying that the contractor has been instructed to complete all works by December 31, 2011.

He said this deadline has been agreed and confirmed by the contractor. On the quality of the works, Prasad said that the supervision of the construction work is being done as per the standards and specification of the Contract Agreement.

Team to tackle hijackings An Inter-Ministerial Group of Officers (IMGO) has been set up to deal with hostage situation arising out of the hijacking of merchant vessels with Indian crew on board, said minister of shipping G K Vasan in the Lok Sabha recently.

Replying to the query by Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel regarding the safety of the Indian crew in view of hijacking, Vasan said the owners and flag administration of the hijacked vessels have been contacted through Indian missions abroad to ensure that they take suitable steps for the safety and early release of the hostages.

The minister also said that the government has decided to issue guidelines for deployment of armed guards on Indian flag ships. He was replying to the query raised by Kateel on whether the government has decided to allow armed security guards on board Indian merchant vessels against the backdrop of recent piracy incidents.

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Situation in Nagamangala town peaceful after Ganesh idol procession violence: Home Minister

News Network

September 14,2024

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said the situation in violence-hit Nagamangala town in Mandya district is peaceful now, and steps have been taken to ensure that no untoward incidents take place.

Clashes had broken out between two groups during the Ganesh idol procession in the town, following which mobs went on a rampage with stone pelting and targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension on Wednesday night.

"Situation in Nagamangala is now peaceful and there is no problem there. I have also instructed officials to hold a peace meeting there. We have instructed officers to ensure that no untoward incidents take place, enough police force is also stationed there," Parameshwara told reporters here.

About 55 people have been arrested in connection with the incident and they have been sent to judicial custody, according to police sources.

Responding to a question on opposition parties including JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy raising doubts about the FIR, he said, "The police will do what has to be done in accordance with law..."

Asked about BJP sending a fact finding team to Nagamangala, the Home Minister said, "Let them find the facts and inform us, and if there is any fact from their fact finding, we will look into it. It will make our work a bit easier." The BJP panel consisting of MLA C N Ashwath Narayan, former Minister Byrathi Basavaraj, former Minister K C Narayana Gowda, state secretary Lakshmi Ashwin Gowda, and former IPS officer Bhaskar Rao, will visit the spot and submit a comprehensive report to the party in a week.

According to police, an argument had broken out between two groups, when the Ganesh idol procession by devotees from Badri Koppalu village reached a place of worship on Wednesday, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.

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