Workers hired by Southern Railway’s Palakkad division give finishing touches inside Railway Under Bridge concrete boxes while Mangaluru Smart City Limited has commenced work on approach roads at Mahakalipadpu in Mangaluru, on May 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

With over four years of work on the twin Railway Under Bridge at Mahakalipadpu in south Mangaluru nearing completion, some residents have raised concerns over the possible traffic jams at Pandeshwar Level Crossing on Mangaladevi Road once the RuBs are commissioned.

“After the RuBs are commissioned, all kinds of vehicles between the Central Business District (CBD) and southern parts of Mangaluru, including Kasargod, will start using the Jeppinamogaru-Morgan’s Gate-Mangaladevi stretch. With the Pandeshwar Level Crossing on Mangaladevi Road still operational, one can expect massive traffic jams whenever the LC gate is closed,” said Guru Prasad, a resident of Bolara.

Mr. Prasad told The Hindu that though the goods shed was shifted from Bunder Yard to Ullal, Southern Railway’s Palakkad division continues to use Bunder Yard for stabling passenger trains. As a consequence, the Pandeshwar LC Gate gets closed a few times in a day.

Girders used for supporting railway tracks to facilitate pushing of concrete box for the twin Railway Under Bridge that were removed on April 23 still remain on the approach road site at Mahakalipadpu in Mangaluru, on May 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

With the narrow LC gate coupled with an increase of vehicular traffic after opening of Mahakalipadpu twin RuB, vehicles might pile up till Mangaladevi temple and A. B. Shetty Circle on both the ends, he fears.

Relocate staff quarters

He said citizens, through then member of parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel and the present MP Captain Brijesh Chowta, had urged the Southern Railway to relocate its staff quarters and offices not connected with train operations to Bunder Yard. These offices are located next to Mangaluru Central Railway Station.

This was because the railways had already ruled out the possibility of constructing an RuB at Pandeshwar following the presence of a major storm water drain while a Rail Over Bridge is not possible for want of land on either side of the road.

The only alternative to avoid traffic snarls is to halt operation of trains to Bunder Yard and eliminate the LC Gate, he said.

RuBs will be commissioned by end of May

A senior Mangaluru Smart City Limited officer told The Hindu that everything is in place to commission the RuBs by the end of May. While the Railways pushed the last of the four concrete boxes beneath the Shoranur-Mangaluru Central line on April 17, it was providing finishing touches inside the boxes, including concrete paving and pedestrian paths.

MSLCL has commenced work on the approach roads, which should be completed soon, the officer said.