Clock Tower project implemented under ‘political pressure'

Mangaluru: As works on the construction of the 75-80 feet Clock Tower project, a replica of the heritage clock tower is ongoing, a city resident has alleged that the project taken under the Mangaluru Smart City Mission (MSCM) is nothing but a waste of public money.

In a complaint filed with the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), New Delhi, the resident has accused political leaders as well as the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner of squandering public money on unwanted projects. It is further alleged that the officials did not seek public opinion and the works being implemented are substandard in quality.

As per sources within the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), which happens to be the nodal agency for the Smart City project in Karnataka, the Rs 90-lakh released for the Clock Tower project, implemented in apparent urgency, did not have any official consent.

Notably, a senoir officer of KUIDFC (who prefers to be anonymous) disclosed that the heritage tower had been demolished in the year 1994 to ease traffic movement. It was categorised under ‘junction improvement’ component,” he informed.

BJP corporator Premananda Shetty and Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL), a special purpose vehicle to implement the MSCM, confirmed that the Clock Tower Circle project was implemented under ‘political pressure’.

Premananda Shetty further revealed that the Mission’s consultant, Wadia Techno-Engineering services was not involved, in the drafting of the proposal. ” In fact, the proposal by another consultant, Dharmaraj, on the setting up of the Clock Tower in a park was utilised by MSCL,” he added. He also recollected having strongly opposed the decision to borrow another consultant’s proposal.

Interestingly, Congress corporator A C Vinayraj, who has keenly followed the progress of the Smart City Mission, admitted that many among the 66 projects – including the Clock Tower – do not focus on the economy or employment. District In-charge Secretary and member of High Power Steering Committee V Ponnuraj said that no official sanction had been promised to deal with the Clock Tower Circle project.