Smooth Sailing Ahead: Karnataka's Water Metro Project Gets Green Signal
Last Updated:
The project will be fully managed and operated by the government, with a focus on enhancing last-mile connectivity and delivering a sustainable, inclusive transportation model.
'All aboard," said the Karnataka government as the Siddaramaiah-led administration gave the green signal for the first Water Metro project in the state.
The chief minister announced that the Mangaluru Water Metro project would be implemented, along with the establishment of the Karnataka Water Transport Training Centre under the Sagarmala initiative.
News18 had earlier broken the story on this project, which, according to officials, will become the second-largest such system in the country after the Kochi Water Metro once completed.
'State-of-the-art electric and diesel catamaran boats will be deployed as part of the project," explained officials working closely with its implementation.
This key infrastructure development for the coastal district of Mangaluru involves the use of electric-hybrid ferries to connect a 30-km stretch from Bajal in Nethravathi to Maravoor and Gurupura via the Phalguni river.
The boats will cater to both daily commuters and tourists, offering an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and efficient mode of transport. The Karnataka government and the Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB) will jointly oversee the project's execution.
The project is being planned under the National Water Transport Project and will be fully managed and operated by the government, with a focus on enhancing last-mile connectivity and delivering a sustainable, inclusive transportation model.
In its recent budget, the Karnataka government approved a series of ambitious projects for the coastal belt — among them, the Mangaluru Water Metro. Alongside this, an international cruise terminal and the Coastal Berth Project were announced to strengthen sea-based cargo and passenger transport along national waterways.
Plans are also underway to develop a port in Manki, following the expansion of Honnavar port in Uttara Kannada. Honnavar is set to become a shipbuilding hub, while the government is also formulating a detailed plan to boost river cruise tourism across the coastal region.
The Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB), which is preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mangaluru Water Metro, is drawing inspiration from the successful Kochi model.
The primary corridor will stretch from Bajal on the Nethravathi to the Maravoor Bridge on the Gurupura, covering 30 kilometres and featuring 17 Water Metro stations strategically located on both sides of the river.
Proposed Stations:
These stations have been planned along a route designed to integrate previously disconnected riverbank communities — from Bajal to Maravoor — into the coastal city's broader development framework.
'It will improve accessibility, create jobs, and enhance local living standards through a fully integrated transport network," said a senior government official closely involved with the project.
Location :
Karnataka, India, India
First Published:
April 24, 2025, 14:31 IST
News india Smooth Sailing Ahead: Karnataka's Water Metro Project Gets Green Signal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Today in Politics: Modi government completes first year in third term, 11th overall
The Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre will mark its first anniversary in the third term and 11th overall on Monday. In its 11th year in power, the BJP went back to the drawing board to recraft its political and governance outreach and regained momentum by notching up surprisingly big wins in a string of Assembly polls as the burst of fresh optimism in the main Opposition Congress and other INDIA bloc parties following last year's Lok Sabha polls fizzled out. If the BJP turned the tide in Haryana and Maharashtra, two states where it suffered reverses in the Lok Sabha polls, on the back of its welfare measures and social engineering associated with regional leadership, it also finally wrested Delhi after 26 years, eclipsing its adversary Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on his home turf. The BJP now appears set to make a fresh political charge after recouping the ground lost in the national polls a year back while the Opposition is back to its disjointed self, with the Congress searching for an elusive and emphatic state poll win in a state. BJP rivals like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and Kejriwal have drifted away from the Congress and the likes of Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) stare at an uncertain future. Despite the reduced majority, the Modi government has gone about with pushing ahead with the contentious part of its agenda. The support it received from the TDP, JD(U) and Chirag Paswan-led LJP (RV) in the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, despite some voices of concern among them over its provisions, underscored the BJP's unchallenged dominance following its assembly poll wins. The government has also gone ahead with the push to its 'One Nation One Election' bills, which are being scrutinised by a Joint Committee of Parliament, despite lacking the two-thirds majority required for the approval of the constitutional amendment measure. Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Telangana Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan is scheduled to visit 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' (VKSA) programme sites in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana on Monday. The visit intends to facilitate interaction with farmers and provide strategic guidance to enhance the campaign's impact, an official release said. During the visit, the minister will interact with the farmers in Mansanpally and Ramachandraguda villages of the district. About 1,500 farmers and farm women from across Telangana are expected to participate in the scientist-farmer interaction session to gain insights into sustainable practices, improved technologies, and integrated approaches to agriculture and aquaculture, it said. An exhibition will also be organised to showcase innovations and products by Telangana KVKs and ICAR institutes of Hyderabad. – With PTI inputs
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Explained: Familiar problems linger, global uncertainties complicate picture
Helped by a late 7%-plus surge in the last quarter, India's real GDP in Financial Year 24-25 grew 6.5% on a year-on-year basis. Some tailwinds have continued on to this fiscal (FY26), with domestic economic activity exhibiting resilience in the wake of strong agri growth; some gains, albeit uneven, are seen in industrial activity; and there is continued buoyancy in the services sector. The domestic headwinds are familiar: stubbornly indifferent private capex, weak urban consumption, patchy rural recovery, some indications of household balance sheet stress, and a negative credit impulse. The uncertainty over tariffs imposed by the United States could weigh on global investment flows, but it also offers opportunities for India, from potential trade diversion to tapping into medium-term supply chain shifts. That said, higher tariffs and uncertainties could weigh on India's export performance as it negotiates multiple trade deals. Continuing concerns According to the World Bank, India's biggest supply side problem is capital expenditure, especially by the private sector — something that the BJP-led NDA government has tried hard to address over the last 11 years. The government has more or less resolved the twin balance sheet problem by cleaning up the mess of corporate indebtedness and the bad loans on bank books. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) introduced in 2017 unified the country's markets, while the insolvency code in 2016 offered banks a chance to resuscitate bankrupt companies. In 2019, an unprecedented corporate tax cut was followed up with a major income tax relief in this Budget to boost consumption in the economy. All along, the Centre has continued with the heavy lifting on capex, especially on infrastructure, in the hope that it will crowd in private investments. But to very little avail. While companies' operating profits have surged since the corporate tax cut, capex has barely moved, with factories operating consistently at around 75% capacity over the last 11 years. Gross fixed capital formation, an investment metric, has remained at 25%, the same level as in 2014. There is now increasing concentration risk across sectors. Companies are also scaling down their salary outlays, something that policy makers are concerned about. Analysts are flagging that growth in compensation, including hiring, has trailed the growth in profitability. The industry states the problem as follows: consumption not growing fast enough to persuade companies to invest in new facilities or expand existing units. Limits to intervention The RBI has cut lending rates four times — totaling 100 basis points — since February this year. With Friday's 50 basis point cut and the change in stance to neutral from accommodative, the big question is whether the central bank thinks it has any headroom left for more rate cuts going forward. The problem is that with the front-loading of this cut, and a possible monetary policy pause round the corner, the government too has all but expended the ammunition — having followed up its corporate tax cuts with income tax cuts earlier this year. The view in the corridors of power in New Delhi is that there is little appetite for big reforms of any hue. A relatively empty state election calendar in 2025 was seen as providing a window to push reforms. But with half the year gone, the appetite for initiating fresh reforms, or even restarting pending ones such as the Labour Codes, appears significantly diminished. It is not that industry has stopped short of investing because of a paucity of funds; instead, it has done so more on account of a demand problem, and a degree of comfort in operating at a capacity utilisation of 75%. Dishing out manufacturing subsidies has its limitations, and that is now being debated internally. From the perspective of the central bank, the last mile of disinflation that was turning out to be arduous is perhaps behind the country. Also, the rate cuts could hopefully reverse the slowing credit growth — both to households and the corporate sector. Looking ahead While India's long-term growth story is believed to be intact — with a 6.5% average growth rate projected over the next half-decade seen as helping the country retain the tag of the world's fastest-growing big economy — there are problems. Countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea grew at well over 8% during their rapid growth phases on a sustained basis. Whether a 6%-plus growth would be enough for a country that needs to generate upwards of 8 million jobs every year until 2030 is a big question — as also whether this growth would be enough to bridge the growing wealth disparities and offer scope for generational mobility. A well-intentioned internship scheme, despite its promise on paper, is struggling to take off. Jobs, consumption recovery, and private capex are festering problems. The prognosis for 2025 is marred further by multiple external headwinds, including the uncertainties over protectionist regulations and curbs on immigration, two ongoing wars with no end in sight, and a weakening American economy that could compound the problems of a struggling Chinese economy. If tensions with Pakistan were to be renewed, investments could be impacted. Defence spending could be forced up in the coming years. The high-level deregulation commission in reducing compliance burden on businesses could be a net positive. Also, the global uncertainty around trade presents an opportunity for India to lower its protectionist barriers, alongside a renewed opportunity to push much-needed investments in education and skilling. Anil Sasi is National Business Editor with the Indian Express and writes on business and finance issues. He has worked with The Hindu Business Line and Business Standard and is an alumnus of Delhi University. ... Read More
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Kerala Maritime Board requests govt to hold stakeholder meet on Valiyathura redevelopment
Thiruvananthapuram: As part of expediting the redevelopment of Valiyathura region in the state capital, Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) requested govt to convene a stakeholders' meeting. The meeting, likely to be held under the chairmanship of ports minister V N Vasavan, aims to secure the trust of fishermen, ensuring the project proceeds without affecting their livelihoods. It would address a spectrum of concerns, ranging from fish landing infrastructure and market access to preserving the iconic Valiyathura pier and sustaining community fishing access. The proposed redevelopment spans nearly 4.5 acre of underutilised, KMB-owned land adjacent to the deteriorating pier. Once govt approves the project, KMB will call for expressions of interest (EOI) from qualified consultants and investors for a detailed proposal of the redevelopment project. Based on the proposal, KMB will prepare a report and submit it to the govt for final approval. KMB has prepared detailed preparatory work and land surveys were carried out in anticipation of the redevelopment. However, officials emphasise the importance of winning support from the fishing community before tender invitations and EOI calls can be issued. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo A senior board official highlighted that fisherfolk has a strong presence in the area and clear strategies, including alternate pathways, must be planned to avoid future conflict. According to KMB chairman N S Pillai, the preparatory work has been done. "It is not just for tourists; we need their (fisherfolk) confidence. The minister is positive about this and will hold a meeting involving fishermen, the church and local representatives. Only then will we proceed with the tender for the maritime hub," Pillai said. Meanwhile, KMB is set to invite EOIs to attract private consultants and investors who would co-develop the site under a public-private partnership (PPP). As per the announcements in Jan this year, the revised proposal includes a maritime hub concept, encompassing a fish landing centre, convention facilities, hospitality zones and museums or maritime-themed attractions. "Following EOI selection, KMB will compile a detailed report, which will then be submitted to the govt for final sanction. Subsequently, a long-term management agreement, likely up to 30 years, will be made with a private partner and a project monitoring committee will oversee coastal regulation zone compliance," Pillai added. Rehabilitation of the historic pier, estimated at Rs 20 crore, is central to the redevelopment. However, earlier such efforts under the Sagarmala scheme were shelved over a lack of funding from Centre. Nevertheless, under the PPP model, restoration of the sea bridge is expected to be bundled with other site upgrades, financed and executed by the private developer. Once slated as a busy cargo port with a 214-m-long pier built in 1956, Valiyathura lost relevance when Kochi port rose to prominence. The pier, described as a heritage structure and a landmark in the area, partly collapsed due to coastal erosion and has been closed for the past four years.
