Contractors shy away from food courts near Kadri Park

Though 38 food courts and stalls have been developed on Kadri Park Road in Mangaluru, they have remained unutilised so far.

The Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) developed the Kadri Park Road at a cost of Rs 16 crore to provide the required infrastructure and attract tourists.

The project was taken up under the Integrated Development of Kadri Park Area project (IDKPAP) and inaugurated in March. However, it has remained unused thus far.

The MSCL decided to rent all shops to one contractor by floating a tender. Though a decision in this regard was taken a year ago, the authorities received a response from merely one bidder.

Initially, the MSCL planned to hand over all the shops to a single contractor. As a result, contractors have not shown interest in participating in the tender process.

Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) General Manager (Technical) Arun Prabha K S told DH that fresh tenders will be floated shortly for the maintenance of the food court and other stalls set up near Kadri Park.

“We received only one bidder when the tender was floated for the first time. There was no response when the tender was floated for the second time. Now, a re-tender will be called shortly,” the general manager
said. During a recent press meet, District In-Charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said he had directed the officials to make a few changes in the tender conditions to attract more bidders.    

As a part of the IDKPAP, an 850-metre long concrete road was developed, footpaths were laid, granite pergolas, granite seating arrangement and two-wheeler and four-wheeler parking spaces were developed on the road.

As per the project, the developmental works aim to generate revenue contributing to the overall maintenance of Kadri Park by the Kadri Park Development Committee.