Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Yathindra Clears ₹350 Crore for Mangaluru Drainage First Phase
Mangaluru’s underground drains need major repairs and expansion.
The government has proposed spending ₹1,250 crore on the work.
The first part would cost ₹350 crore, but the cabinet must approve releasing that money.
A separate water project is also unfinished, with many pipes and household connections still to be completed.
Officials say the remaining water work should be finished by March 2027.
The minister told officials to make city services more digital and easier for people to use.
He also said the city must improve rubbish collection and deal with a large pile of old waste.
Some public representatives complained that new markets are difficult for older people, vendors and shoppers to use.
Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah approved the opening phase of a proposed ₹1,250 crore underground drainage upgrade for Mangaluru.
The ₹350 crore first phase still requires cabinet approval before funds can be released and construction begins.
Jalasiri work remains incomplete, with 7.45 km of main pipes, 303 km of distribution lines and 57,118 household connections pending.
Officials were told to improve digitisation, future water storage, solid-waste management and treatment of seven lakh tonnes of legacy waste at Pachanady.
Public representatives criticized inaccessible multi-storey markets and delays, prompting directions for more user-friendly markets and faster civic works.
- Who
- Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Mangaluru City Corporation officials and local elected representatives.
- What
- A review addressed proposed drainage funding, delayed water-supply works, digitisation, markets and solid-waste management.
- When
- Thursday, 18 September; the cabinet meeting was scheduled for Friday, while water-project completion was promised by the end of March 2027.
- Where
- Mangaluru City Corporation limits, including the Pachanady dumping yard.
- Why
- To upgrade poor drainage, complete delayed water infrastructure, improve civic services and address market and waste-management problems.
Public representatives and residents
Minister and civic officials
Water-project delays
Public representatives and residents
MLC Ivan D’Souza highlighted delays in Jalasiri work and the hardship caused by repeated, scattered road cutting. Yathindra Siddaramaiah also criticized the pace of household tap connections.
Minister and civic officials
Officials reported the remaining pipe and connection work and promised completion by the end of March 2027. The minister ordered them to meet that deadline.
Market design and access
Public representatives and residents
Captain Brijesh Chowta and other representatives said Central Market and other multi-storey markets were built like malls and were difficult for senior citizens, the public, traders and vendors to use.
Minister and civic officials
Yathindra Siddaramaiah said future markets must be suitable for street vendors and small and medium traders and friendly to the public and older residents.
Waste management
Public representatives and residents
The minister expressed concern that seven lakh tonnes of legacy waste remained at Pachanady and that civic waste management was not yet sufficient.
Minister and civic officials
Yathindra Siddaramaiah directed officials to speed up waste treatment, achieve 100 percent waste management, use incentive pay for pourakarmikas and require GPS devices on collection vehicles.
- Drainage proposal
- ₹1,250 crore has been proposed to upgrade underground drainage within corporation limits.
- First-phase funding
- ₹350 crore has been cleared at the department level, pending cabinet approval for release.
- Jalasiri main pipes
- 7.45 km remain from a planned 52.45 km main-pipe programme.
- Jalasiri distribution network
- 303 km remain from a planned 1,191 km distribution network.
- Household connections
- 57,118 of 96,300 house tap connections remain pending.
- Water-work deadline
- Officials promised completion by the end of March 2027.
- Legacy waste
- About seven lakh tonnes remain at the Pachanady dumping yard.