Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta welcomed the state cabinet’s decision to hold its first meeting in Mangaluru, and urged the govt to give priority to the district’s connectivity and infrastructure needs.Speaking to reporters on Thursday, ahead of the meeting, Chowta said BJP MLAs, the MP and the Dakshina Kannada district BJP president had met chief minister DK Shivakumar and discussed key issues concerning the district.He sought special attention to the Mangaluru-Bengaluru highway and railway infrastructure, stressing the need for a dedicated nodal officer to coordinate and monitor the projects.“This should not be treated like any other issue. It requires special attention, and a nodal officer should be appointed,” he said.Referring to the change in the railway jurisdiction of the Mangaluru region, Chowta alleged that the chief minister had remained silent on the issue due to pressure from Congress leaders in Kerala. He said the state govt should now support efforts to safeguard the region’s railway interests.Chowta said Dakshina Kannada had significant potential in connectivity, infrastructure, maritime development, tourism, technology, agriculture and culture. He added that the CM had responded positively to the district’s broader development demands.The MP said he had been in constant touch with the Union govt since taking office regarding highways, railways, institutions, administrative projects and basic infrastructure, but stressed that the state govt’s cooperation was essential.He urged the CM to join efforts to persuade the Centre to expedite the merger of Konkan Railway with Indian Railways. He also alleged that several programmes for the coastal region were being delayed at the administrative level, and demanded the inclusion of local MLAs in the Coastal Tourism Development Authority, and the proposed Maritime Development Board.Among other demands, Chowta sought recognition of Tulu as Karnataka’s second official language, and the renaming of Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district. He said he would later pursue the inclusion of Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, after conducting a detailed study.He said the doubling of the Mangaluru-Bengaluru railway line was progressing, with the final location survey under way ahead of preparation of the detailed project report.Chowta also sought ferry services connecting Mangaluru with other coastal centres, a feasibility study for a coastal metro, and incentives to attract global capability centres and research institutions to the region.He demanded that the fisheries college be separated from the veterinary university and developed as an independent institution in Mangaluru, with the long-term objective of seeking central university status.The MP also sought a task force for the 43 villages affected by the Kasturirangan report, relief for arecanut growers affected by crop diseases and a dedicated coastal disaster resilience fund.“The BJP has never politicised development and will never do so,” Chowta said.
