Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner H. V. Darshan’s words of May 18 that the Netravathi Riverfront Promenade will be opened by June second week has missed the deadline even as the work on half of the stretch is going on at a snail’s pace.

Defending the bar on entry of people into the half-completed promenade, Mr. Darshan had stated that the prohibition was necessary to facilitate Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) to complete the remaining work on about 900 metres of the stretch. Of the 2.3-km proposed promenade, 1.8 km would be opened by June second week, he had stated.

Police deployment

Ever since the second week of May, police have been deployed at the makeshift entry near Mangalore Club/TVS Tread factory to prevent people from entering the half-completed promenade. MSCL officials had cited illegal and immoral activities taking place at night as the reason for police deployment.

Though the promenade was not formally opened, people used to enter the riverfront through a gate, and spend time on the river bank, which hitherto had remained inaccessible. In the absence of any space for socialising in Mangaluru, people had found the promenade a good venue to unwind.

Little progress in work

Though Mr. Darshan had cited ongoing work as the reason to bar the entry of people, except dumping some soil behind the TVS factory, no other work appears to have been carried out during the last one month.

MSCL officials, however, claimed that work on two cross drains and one utility duct was almost completed during the month. Within a week, all remaining work would be completed, they said.