[BolliBatlu]

Mangaluru Smart City Projects

Interestingly lists Marina in 'Retrofitting of 6 tile factories into Hotel, Auditorium, Convention Centre, Museum, Marina with retail and Speciality Restaurants' under Economy & Employment section and 'Water front Marina Develpment' under Open Spaces section. Though Marina is meant as recreational facility what I wonder is whether there is provision for 'multimode transportation' at marina integrating waterways with land trasportation so that travellers can use passenger boats. (There was news that cycling tracks will be developed along Mangala Corniche and so one can travel by rented cycle and boat in future. Hope NIT-K bicycle sharing initiative 'Wheels on Roll' (WOR) may include boat sharing or pooling also in future.) We already know the central government plan for developing Netravati & Gurupura waterways. Both goods and passenger movement are allowed along these waterways, so, I am wondering how this will be integrated to land based transportation network. Further, what I want to know is whether we can develop some of canals (currently gutters) like the one passing through MG Road & Kudroli or the one running parallel to railway track at Pandeshwar for boating? Kochin is already identifying waterways along canals. And Mangaluru can study Kochin project and find out feasibility of implemeting it in Mangalore. Even possible raise in underground water salinity level if sea water flow into canal has to be studied. What I wonder is whether cruise tourists at NMPT directly get into boat and use waterways to visit city in future if immigration department allows it? There is also a possibility of connecting old port to Malpe port and other nearby seaport destinations through boat services. Oldport should also have a big bus terminal with facility to park other vehicles. Anyway buses can move via Mangala Corniche in fututre. I also wonder whether topography allows to connect Adyar with Vamanjoor through a new water canal along proposed Mangala Corniche or somewhere else along some other track! I think Pashchima Vahini project has proposals to interconnect rivers.

By the way open spaces are identified in Smart City Proposal only along river shores. What about others? Aren't we losing more open space for things like 'Redevelopment of Vacant Premises of DC office into Hotel, Retail Shops and Speciality Restaurants' and 'Retrofit of Fish Market'? I think 'Community Level Facilities along with international swimming pool' also means reduction of open space at Emmekere area. And Town Hall is also losing open space in the name of Dining Hall! So let me repeat the question I raised earlier what will be the increase in open space and green space after implementation of smart city project? Wishfully expecting some more builders to come forward to develop new Gardens like Vivenkanada Park at Bejai.

List of Projects of Rs. 100 Crore and above as per SCP

• Transport, Mobility & Walkability - Widening of Roads - Rs. 150 crores
• Transport, Mobility & Walkability - Upgradation of Roads with footpaths - Rs. 150 crores
• Energy Source & Management - Installation of rooftop solar on Govt buildings - Rs. 203.32 crores
• Waste Water - 100% waste water coverage with SCADA and connecting the waste water to STP for treatment and reuse - Rs. 128.86 crores
• Underground Wiring - IPDS proposals - Rs. 114.32 crores

The smart city portal SMARTNET also contain some of details of Mangaluru Smart City Project in 'opportunity' section like tenders, jobs.

Multimodal transport , GPS, GIS and surveillance for four Karnataka cities

And a few of challenges to smartness

Low response to e-waste collection in city

Beggars'rehab: Lack of facilities a major setback

26 days on, separate hawking zone fails to attract street vendors
Street vendors stick to footpath
Hawking zone is still unoccupied giving no respite to pedestrians

Water samples in many areas of Mangaluru show fecal contamination
Sewage being directly let into the Netravathiin Thumbe upstream, says Krishna Palemar

Smart city's storm water drains breeding diseases

MCC to re-seek council’s nod for chicken/slaughter waste plant

Mangaluru's ambient air quality takes a beating
Quality of air in Mangaluru is on the brink of danger
High lead content in air in Mangaluru, says study

'Rapidly growing Indian cities may face extreme rainfalls'

The research may be important for shaping storm water system design, water resource policy and urban flood management in these regions, researchers said.

The researchers found the frequency of extreme rainfall events in rapidly developing regions, including Nashik, Kanpur, Durgapur and Mangalore, exceeded those in established cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

We can not harvest all rain water. So, need better storm drainage system.

Water Billing: M'luru yet to be 'Smart'

How good is Mangaluru's Disaster Preparedness?

Caring for the Specially Abled - Could not find Mangaluru!

Sewage flows unabated into River Nethravathi here

Highway denuded of trees (for hoardings): Forest department grumpy
Flex hoardings and banners continue to be an eyesore
Banners, hoardings mar city’s beauty

In digital era why do we need hoardings?

Surveyor suspended for ‘helping’ private firm encroach govt. land

We don't know when will the people stop encroaching government lands.

Udayavani articles on Smart City

Some of the articles in the above link talks about need for Voice Information Service in buses and name plates for easy identification of places.

Smart city can have smart sign boards demanded above as per toponymy/typography.

‘Toponymy art helps people understand a place better’

Six smart cities will get Rs. 1,188 cr. in 2017-18, says Governor
Karnataka government has released Rs 776 crore during 2016-17 for the Smart City Mission

Smartcity Start Up

• 'Mangaluru Smart City Company Limited' a 17 directors (1 from the central government, 2 independent directors, 6 from the state under the district incharge secretary (6+1), mayor, corporation commissioner, 2 legislators, 3 corporators) SPV's registration is under progress for Mangaluru Smart City
• Rs. 2,000 crores (Rs. 1,707 crores for Area Based Development, Rs. 293 crores for Pan City Development) proposal approved to cover 1,628 acres of Mangaluru City, Hampankatta, Old Port and Car Street
• Meeting with 8 officers of the World Bank on Feb 3 & 4 in Mangalore for all six cities of Karnataka

World Bank, state govt to host Smart City workshop in Mangaluru
Process to set up SPV for smart city project under way

Korea based experts are also participating. South Korea will be investing in which cities?

Green growth approach must for smart city: World Bank team leader

There is also a need for behavioral change among officials and people's representatives to create a 'Smart Karnataka' without spoiling its environment just to promote a single city.

Smart cities should be built with nature in mind: Experts
Smart Cities: Experts delve into tech-based solutions

Can the government force private bus operators to replace all buses with low floor buses in say 5 years?

South India to benefit from LNG movement through roadways

Does Smart City project include natural gas supply to homes?

PVS Circle to Ladyhill road to be developed as 'smart road'
With Rs 2 crore, Mangaluru City Corporation to turn city’s first concerte road smart

MANGALURU: City's first concrete road from Lady Hill Circle to PVS Junction is all set to go smart. A proposal to this effect was announced in the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) budget presented on Tuesday. The civic body has set aside Rs two crore for the project that draws largely on the concept of TenderSURE roads being implemented om Bengaluru and other cities.

H N Srinivas, superintending engineer and deputy commissioner (development), MCC, said there is no specific blue print devised for the smart road per se. "This is more on the lines of an idea that the city is on the verge of becoming smart under Smart City project. A need was felt to showcase one major road in the city as a smart road with all the facilities to both motorists and the pedestrians with a provision for expansion in future,'' he said.

"We are also in the process of ensuring that the entire road length covered under CCTV surveillance, go in for solar panel-enabled street lights and signal systems that work in accordance with traffic density on the road,"

Smart city funding could see Mangaluru civic body deprived of nagarothana grants

Strange! JNNURM did not have this type of reduction. Why now for Smart City? Anyone can guess the obvious reason by analysing which cities were listed for JNNURM against which cities are listed for Smart cIty.

Smart city SPV by this month-end, says Mayor
Mangaluru is expected to complete the registration process of the SPV under the Companies Act by March-end

The Smart City Challenge Stage 2: Smart City Proposal Mangaluru

Smartcity discourse at Shridevi Engineering College

Smart City work set to start: MLA

Mangaluru civic body makes license for pet dogs mandatory

A detailed smart plan is required for overcoming street dog menace.

Will the heart of Mangaluru become smart?

Mangaluru city getting ready to launch street vending plan

Five e-toilets in the city, 2

Hope e-toilets will not occupy footpaths just like autobays.

Busbays in eleven places

Shifting of bus shelters from road junctions

Would prefer inconvenience to private vehicles rather than inconvenience to bus commuters. For example, busbays at Jyothi circle allow commuters coming from Udupi side to catch buses travelling towards Kasargod just by walking a few steps but people coming from Kasargod side have to walk a lot to catch buses towards Udupi. Creating proper busbays is a better solution rather than shifting of bus shelters from road junctions. A smart city should be designed in favour of people using mass transportation system rather than in favour of people using personal vehicles. (Note: Udupi side means people getting into bus at Ladyhill, MG Road also & similarly Kasargod side means people getting into bus at Kankanady, Bendorewell also.)

By the way, initially I wondered why Mangaluru perceived as 9th safest city: poll. Probably it is because Citizens heap more praise on Mangaluru City Police, Western Range of Karnataka State Police reorganises police beat system. And Mangaluru can become more safe when 75 new CC cameras are installed as part of M-Track project and more importantly used & maintained it properly.

Open drains: Let’s face it, say activists

Sad status. Strange thing is when some of school boys voluteering for Swachch Bharat throwing garbage from road to storm water drain!

Instead of DC's picture MLAs' pictures should have been there.

Dakshina Kannada stands second in terms of number of rooftop solar power units in the State

16.45L 'Hosa Belaku' LED bulbs sold in DK district - stands second in the state

I think on 'per person' count DK stands first in both 'Hosa Belaku' & grid connected solar roof top scheme.

But what happened to 'Smart City' SPV?

Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu to review progress of urban sector schemes in Karnataka tomorrow

Whether Mangaluru has got 'investment- worthy' Credit Rating?

Does poor air quality affect auto drivers? If yes, how?

Wadia Techno-Engineering Services Limited as Project Management Consultant (PMC) to get approval in SPV's first meeting today

City’s first four e-toilets ready for commissioning



Mangaluru really needs some help from Artificial Intelligence to find a smart solution to identify alternative space for these toilets occupying footpath. Is it at the end of zebra crossing? If so it will be compromising on pedestrian safety and will be a threat. Let me find out when I go there.

City corporation proposes to build eight more public e-toilets

First Meeting of SPV: The centre releases Rs. 107 crores

Summa: The centre and the state together have released Rs. 214 crores for smart city projet. PMC is approved and will set up office in Mangaluru. Action plan, appointment of engineer, chartered accountant and other officials etc were discussed for area based development, pan city development, health city , port development and other proposals. All these things will be finalized in the second meeting in June. Total Smart city Proposal for area based (old port, hampankatta, car street, Rs. 1707.29 crores) and pan city (Rs. 293.43 crores) developments is of Rs. 2000.72 crores.

Is the health city under discussion is earlier proposal of Kunjathbail? Whether 'Centre of Excellence for Health Informatics' and 'Medical Invest Region' consisting of Mangaluru, Udupi and Bantwal are discussed? Whether smart railway stations discussed?

Mangaluru: Smart city project gets central grant of Rs 107 crore

How does SPV ensure supplier of smart gadgets contribute towards "Make in Mangaluru"?

Karnataka's 10th Central Prison to come up at Mudipu near Mangaluru at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore

The department is in possession of 67.89 acres of land at Mudipu for the central prison project. It will be an all-inclusive facility with provision to hold 1,000 under trials and convicts. "The blue print has provision for automatic doors with spikes at the entrance," he said adding this will be in place if PWD to whom the work has been entrusted is able to procure the same. "If they can't get the same, we will go in for semi-automatic gates and crash barriers," he said.

Whether this is a smart jail with no wifi/mobilephone facilities to prisoners? Whether smart city features like solar electricity, water harvesting included?

Netravati bed is getting polluted

Control on Plastic Usage needed before water conservation

Summa: Plastic waste is polluting wells, lakes and rivers. Carcinogenic chemicals generated by burning of plastic waste are polluting ground water and entering into our body through plant products.

Mangaluru fails to project its ground on cleanliness, ranked 63rd in India, second cleanest in Karnataka

MANGALURU: Cleanliness on the ground no longer matters, projecting it online too matters. Namma Kudla learns this lesson the hard way with its 'netizens' not logging on to the Swachh Survekshan Survey carried out by Ministry of Urban Development.

Major components of the survey totalling 2000 marks saw 900 marks allotted for documentation, 500 for direct observation and 600 for public opinion/participation. Mangaluru totalled 1350 marks (Mysuru 1743) securing 713 for documentation, 307 for direct observation and 330 for public participation.

Mangaluru loses 450 marks straight away as no one downloaded Swachh Survekshan Survey application
Swachh Bharat Sarvekshan ranking slump: City has to buckle up

MCC failed to utilize ADB loan: Rights' activist
MCC's methods come under fire: Works taken up without clearance

Digitization and transparency spirit is going down.

Building promoters told to install sewage plant during construction itself

Seed ball preparation starts in Mangaluru
M'luru: Vikas PU College students learn to make seed balls for afforestation promotion
All of 9, Mangaluru girl is already a green wonder


Street vendors flay Mangaluru civic body for repeated raids

The validity of 208 identity cards issued has since lapsed, he said adding that MCC has not renewed the same. As part of alternative arrangement, the civic body hurriedly inaugurated a vending zone that does not have any facilities, he said adding that MCC while not discharging its duties towards street vending community is continuing to unleash official machinery on them. Demanding that MCC stop this forthwith, he said civic body should renew and issue fresh ID cards.

What are those facilities street vendors are having now on footpath which is not there in identified vending zone?