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Mangaluru (Karnataka), Sep 18 (PTI) The Karnataka Cabinet on Friday approved a series of infrastructure and development projects for the coastal region, including a Rs 6,925-crore multi-purpose port and shipbuilding centre at Manki in Uttara Kannada.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also approved a Rs 250.05-crore revised plan for Karwar airport, six major bridge projects in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, a Rs 10,000-crore rural road programme, and a proposal to develop a Water Metro along the Gurupura and Netravathi rivers.
The Manki project, to be developed under the PPP Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer model, will have a capacity of 15 million tonne per annum and is expected to generate 44,800 direct and indirect
jobs. The government estimates it could provide a Rs 28,000-crore boost to the state economy.
The Cabinet approved increasing the cost of the Karwar airport project from Rs 98.24 crore to Rs 250.05 crore. The existing 2,000-metre runway is proposed to be extended to 3,250 metre to facilitate A-320 operations.
It also approved development of a greenfield shipbuilding yard at Gangolli in Udupi district at an estimated cost of Rs 322 crore under the PPP model.
The Cabinet also gave in-principle approval to examine the technical and financial feasibility of a Mangaluru Water Metro along the Gurupura and Netravathi rivers under the PPP model, authorising the Karnataka Water Transport Board to take further steps.
In another major decision, the Cabinet approved the Chief Minister’s Rural Development Scheme for developing 15,000 km of rural connectivity roads at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore. Of this, Rs 6,000 crore is proposed for roads and drains within village limits.
The government also approved a Rs 151.31-crore allocation for procurement of ballot boxes and live webcasting for the forthcoming Panchayat Raj elections, which are proposed to be held by December.
The Cabinet approved establishment of a modern wholesale fish market at Ekkur in Mangaluru at a cost of Rs 30 crore to ease congestion at the existing fishing harbour. It also approved Rs 20 crore worth of fisheries works, including a jetty for traditional fishing boats at Kotekar and a berthing basin at Bengre.
The coastal areas of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada will be notified as a Special Marine Zone, while a Special Processing Zone is proposed on 150 acres reserved for a fisheries park at Ballunje in Mulki taluk.
The Cabinet further approved a Rs 60-crore five-year programme under the Karnataka Marine Biotechnology Policy, including establishment of the Karnataka Institute of Marine Biotechnology and Blue Economy, laboratories, a biobank and incubation centres in Udupi.
It also approved the Karnataka Sustainable Data Centre Policy 2026-31, aimed at supporting data centre units and parks, operators, cable landing stations, submarine cable operators and the academic sector.
The Cabinet approved a Rs 20-crore handicrafts cluster in Karkala under the Centre’s MSE-CDP scheme, with Rs 14 crore coming as a central grant, Rs 3 crore from the state and Rs 3 crore through the SPV.
The Cabinet approved the Karnataka Inland Vessels (Adjudication of Penalties and Appeals) Rules, 2026, under which the Director of Ports will serve as adjudicating officer and the CEO of the Karnataka Water Transport Board as appellate authority.
It also approved revision of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019 following representations from fishermen, tourism stakeholders, landowners, local bodies and district administrations over discrepancies between the maps and ground realities.
The Cabinet decided to cancel the lease of 356.20 acres allotted to Pilikula Nisargadhama and allot about 339.9 acres to the Department of Science and Technology.
The Cabinet also decided to develop Mangaluru’s Mangal Stadium as an international-standard facility at Rs 20 crore and approved a Rs 10-crore synthetic track at the Udupi District Stadium.
The Cabinet approved allotment of land to several institutions — 7.30 acres to St Lawrence Church at Attur, 6.51 acres to Gurudharma Prachara Sabha in Bantwal, 29 cents to Sri Gurubrahma Mugerakala Temple at Padubelle and 0.05 acre to the Karavali Lekakiyara-Vachakiyara Sangha.
It also approved establishment of a government medical college, teaching hospital, hostel and allied infrastructure at Puttur at a cost of Rs 549.79 crore. PTI GMS GMS KH
