Southern Railway sanctions pedestrian underpass near Thokkottu Olapete, says U.T. Khader

Southern Railway will construct a pedestrian underpass near Thokkottu Olapete soon, said U.T. Khader, Speaker and MLA for Mangaluru, here on Monday.

Mr. Khader said residents had been demanding an underpass for a long time, as they were finding it hard to cross the railway lines and reach Olapete.

“The Southern Railway recently sanctioned ₹2 crore for the project. Bids to take up the project have been floated. Works are likely to start shortly,” he said.

Mr. Khader said officials have assured of completing a railway underpass at Mahakalipadpu in Mangaluru at the earliest and opening it for traffic by this November.

The Speaker said he has asked the Ullal City Municipal Council (CMC) to conduct a drone survey to identify the areas through which rajakaluves passed in Ullal town.

Mr. Khader stated that following recent heavy rains, many houses in Ullal city were inundated. Residents expressed their ire over the encroachment of rajakaluves.

“I have asked the council to conduct a drone survey of the rajakaluves at the earliest and mark their area. Necessary action should be taken to clear the encroachment later,” he said. Residents affected due to waterlogging should be paid adequate compensation, the Speaker added.

Additional PU college

Mr. Khader stated that the State government will approve another government pre-university college for girls in Ullal. Tentatively, the new college is expected to be located in Melangady.

In the 2025-26 State Budget, ₹17 crore was sanctioned to the Minority Welfare Department for the residential PU college for girls in Ullal.

“This college is likely to come up in Panaje. We also want day scholars to study here. It has been planned to offer science, commerce and arts streams in the residential college,” he said.

Mr. Khader said the government PU college in Deralakatte, which started as a co-education college two years ago, has become a girls-only college from the 2025-26 academic year. Nearly 1,000 students were studying in this college. The government PU college in Harekala also has a good number of students. A total of 1,300 students were studying in classes from 1 to 12 in Karnataka Public School in Montepadavu.

The Speaker said he has asked the government to permit the opening of an English medium pre-primary section in eight government primary schools in his Assembly constituency.