The Smart City works to give a makeover to the Hampankatta area is expected to be finished by the end of this month. The pedestrian plaza work undertaken by the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) is nearing fulfillment.
MSCL general manager (technical) Arun Prabha KS told the media that the road flaring work for the smooth flow of traffic and landscaping is being taken up around the Clock Tower. The Clock Tower is a finished project but the loop road from Clock Tower-AB Shetty Circle-Hamilton CircleRao and Rao Circle-Clock Tower is one-way and once all the works including the pedestrian plaza are finished then a formal inauguration will take place. Most of the work taken up under the Smart City project is in its last stage.
He said that the hardscaping works are near fulfillment on the pedestrian plaza. The landscaping works are being delayed intentionally as the authority feels that it would be appropriate to finish it just before the monsoon. The loop road is more or less finished except for a few patches and the Mangaluru City Corporation has also taken up works on creating the city bus stand he said.
Meanwhile, the statue will be shifted from its original location to the front of and closer to the Clock Tower so that it is more visible.
There will be a jet fountain and park for small children on the statue's right side and landscaping will be taken up on the left side. Encircling Mahatma Gandhi’s statue smarak there will be a pathway that will direct into another landscaped region that acts as the amphitheater’s seating space.
