Mangaluru civic commissioner Rahul Ratnam Pandey has directed officials to examine a full tender process and possible reorganisation of Urwa Market after traders raised concerns about inadequate infrastructure and declining customer footfall. The commissioner also ordered a survey of the market area and said a meeting with traders would be held next week.
During his visit to Urwa Market, Pandey discussed the possibility of systematically organising flower, vegetable, meat and other shops. Officials were instructed to explore whether all traders could be shifted inside the market complex, similar to the Central Market complex model, or whether the existing project scope should be reconsidered.
Traders told the commissioner that the lack of basic infrastructure was affecting customer numbers. The report did not specify which facilities were missing or provide a timeline for any proposed redevelopment. The instruction to call a full tender, rather than divide the market process into parts, indicates that the civic body is considering a broader administrative and implementation approach.
Pandey directed the Town Vending Committee to conduct a survey of the market area. The survey is expected to inform discussions on the location and organisation of vendors, while the promised meeting next week will provide a formal platform for traders to present their concerns. The municipal administration has not announced the likely cost, design or execution schedule for the market changes.
Parking-related concerns were also raised during the visit. Traders told the commissioner that people affected by alcohol dependence were causing problems in the Urwa Market parking area. Pandey said the issue would be brought to the attention of the city police commissioner and the deputy commissioner of police.
The commissioner also visited the Kudmul Ranga Rao memorial at Babugudda. Officials were asked to prepare an estimate for constructing a Kudmul Ranga Rao Bhavan, which they said could cost approximately ₹1.25 crore. The administration said the area would be developed to support tourism, but no completion timeline was provided.
At Bikarnakatte, Pandey met residents who complained about drainage problems. He said a meeting would be held shortly with the National Highways Authority of India and other concerned officials to seek a solution. The report did not identify the specific highway-related issue or state whether funding and technical responsibilities had been assigned.
Separately, Mangaluru City Corporation conducted a special inspection drive across the city on Wednesday. A team of 100 civic officials and staff inspected approximately 2,000 commercial establishments, according to a municipal announcement. The drive covered waste segregation at source, use of banned single-use plastic, dumping in public places, footpath encroachment and renewal of trade licences.
The corporation collected ₹7.20 lakh in fines during the operation. The inspection record cited 1,334 locations visited, 143 shops fined, 20 shops with fines pending, 28 establishments without renewed trade licences and 246 shops that had not displayed their licence copies. The civic body said licences could be cancelled if violations continued after notices, while materials could be seized if footpath encroachments persisted. The next formal step on Urwa Market is the proposed meeting with traders next week.
