Mangaluru: Considering the bad experiences of previous years, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has decided to take up desilting work on rajakaluves in the city to ensure that artificial flooding does not recur during the monsoon this year.Naresh P Shenoy, deputy commissioner (development), MCC, told TOI that work on desilting stormwater drains is likely to commence within a week after the tender process. “We have prepared a detailed action plan to take up desilting of stormwater drains in the city before the onset of monsoon. The city corporation has already conducted surveys, and accordingly, tenders have already been invited to take up the works. Tenders for various works to be taken up at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 4 crore are in the final stage. The work orders for various works will be issued within a week,” he said, adding that the officials are working out detailed plans to implement the work.MLC Ivan D’Souza said that approximately Rs 10 crore has been released by the govt to address the damage and resume stalled works in various parts of the city affected by last year’s rain. The govt has allocated funds to cover the losses caused by the rain and to repair collapsed canals and some projects damaged due to heavy rainfall, he said.Officials have been instructed to complete all rain-related works before the next rainy season. Funds have been released for dredging, and an additional Rs 25 crore has been allocated from the chief minister’s special scheme, he added.Densely populated areas of Malemar, Nekkila, Kottara Chowki, Kodialbail, Kodialguthu, Mahaveer Circle, Padil, Jappinamogaru and other places in the city have been witnessing flooding during heavy rains mainly due to a lack of proper stormwater drainage.
