The Hindu

• No attempts have been made to involve public in the planning process
• Forum submits a critique of the plan to the authority
• It has no proposals to increase water supply

Mangalore, Mar 29: The Citizens' Forum for Mangalore Development has termed the draft master plan prepared by the Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) unprofessional and inadequate.

The forum has submitted a critique of the draft plan prepared by urban planning consultants Anjali K. Mohan and Brinda Shastry to MUDA. The Master Plan (Revision-II)-2021 prepared by MUDA was sent for the Government's approval in mid 2005. It came back signed in 2006, and was open to public comment until recently.

Natesh Ullal, member of the core group of the forum, told presspersons here on Thursday that the master plan did not contain a vision statement to set out the course for the future of the region.

Although the preparation of the plan had been delayed by four years, no attempts had been made to involve civic agencies or the public in the planning process, he said.

Pointing out the various shortcomings of the plan, Mr. Ullal said it did not mention of adopting the National Building Code (NBC) standards in the city. The NBC prescribed the most acceptable level of safety for buildings to protect public health, safety and general welfare, he said.

The Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act stated that several detailed surveys should be carried out before preparing a master plan. The draft plan of MUDA did not mention of such surveys, he said.

The lack of preparedness to control floods, and no mention of development of storm water drains, and proposals to increase water supply, have also been criticised.

Although the plan mentioned "physical developments" to accommodate the increase in population, the workforce participation rates, ward wise population details and density patterns had not been estimated, representatives of the forum said.

Housing schemes

No consideration had been given to low income housing schemes, affordable public transport and infrastructure for the under-served areas. The issue of land requirement, specifically for the urban poor, had been ignored, they said.

The problems of erosion along the sea front, shifting of river mouths and flood damage in the tidal reaches of rivers were not discussed in the plan. There was also no mention of key service sectors such as banking, health and higher education, Mr. Ullal said.