Mangaluru: The state Cabinet on Friday approved a series of projects aimed at strengthening infrastructure, healthcare, fisheries, connectivity and tourism in the coastal region, including Karnataka Marine Biotechnology Policy, expansion of the Karwar airport, development of islands, and Rs 400 crore for road development in Mangaluru.
The Cabinet, which met in Mangaluru under Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, also gave its nod to land for Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple and Kalyana Mantapa,
increasing the capacity of Wenlock District Hospital by 200 beds, developing Mangala Stadium as an international-standard facility and exploring a Water Metro for Mangaluru on the Gurupura and Nethravathi rivers.
Giving details about the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara said that the Cabinet also approved the development of 12 islands in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The projects will be taken up on a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer basis with a 30-year lease period, including the time required for statutory approvals and construction.
The Cabinet approved the Karnataka Marine Biotechnology Policy 2026-31. A Karnataka Institute of Marine Biotechnology and Blue Economy will be established at the government Fisheries College, with laboratories, a biobank and incubation centre planned in Udupi. Rs 60 crore will be spent over five years, besides Rs 10 crore for marine biotechnology zones, Rs 45 crore in incentives for seaweed value-added production and Rs 5 crore for a pilot blue carbon certification programme.
He also said a “Mangalore Eye” project would come up on five acres of land near Kadri Park. The proposed tower is expected to offer a bird’s-eye view of Mangaluru city.
The DCM said that the Cabinet approved allotment of 10 acres in Badaga Yekkaru village near Surathkal to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams for construction of a Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple and Kalyana Mantapa.
The Karwar airport project also received a major revision, with its estimated cost increased from Rs 98.24 crore to Rs 250.05 crore. The existing 2,000-metre runway is proposed to be extended to 3,250 metres to facilitate A-320 aircraft operations. The increased cost includes land acquisition, rehabilitation, approach roads and development of the civil enclave.
The Cabinet gave in-principle approval to upgrade the Mangaluru Fisheries College into a Fisheries University. The number of students at the college will be increased from 60 to 200.
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Karnataka Forest Department recruitment rules to provide special representation to certain local forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribe communities in direct recruitment to the Forest Guard and Forest Watcher cadres. The amended provisions will cover communities including Halasaru, Siddi, Kudiya, Bettakuruba and Paniyan.
In Dakshina Kannada, the north and south islands in the Gurupura river will be developed at a cost of Rs 125.43 crore. A 30-berth marina will be developed over 30.42 acres on the northern island, while 32 eco-huts will come up on 17.28 acres on the southern island.
In Uttara Kannada, seven islands covering 59 acres and 31 guntas in Karwar, Bhatkal and Ankola taluks will be developed at a cost of Rs 307.71 crore. The project is expected to generate Rs 145.87 crore through revenue sharing, apart from an annual lease fee of Rs 8.7 crore, which will increase by five per cent every year.
In Udupi, eco-tourism projects will be developed on 26.69 acres covering Ayaba, Daria Bahadur Gad and Malpe at a cost of Rs 279.03 crore. The government will receive a minimum two per cent revenue share and an annual lease rent of Rs 3.87 crore, with a five per cent annual increase.
The Cabinet also approved development of tourism and hospitality infrastructure around the Mangaluru lighthouse on 1.5 acres under the PPP model. The Rs 60.34-crore project will include a 35-room three-star or higher-category facility and measures for preservation of the lighthouse. The government is expected to receive a minimum assured revenue of Rs 34.21 crore over the 30-year lease period.
Four more tourism projects will be developed in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru at a combined cost of Rs 238 crore. A Riverfront Wellness Resort will come up at Kodikal in Mangaluru taluk at a cost of Rs 73 crore. At Tannirbhavi, an eco-friendly beach-front glamping facility, marine experience centre and expo zone will be developed at Rs 53 crore.
At Trasi-Maravanthe beach in Udupi district, a resort, adventure and entertainment zone and other recreational facilities will be developed at a cost of Rs 48 crore. An eco-retreat will be developed at Ravoor in Chikkamagaluru district at a cost of Rs 64 crore.
It also approved revision of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019. The decision follows representations from fishermen, tourism stakeholders, landowners, local bodies and district administrations in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada seeking corrections to discrepancies between the approved maps and ground realities.
A government medical college, teaching hospital, hostel and other infrastructure will come up near Sediapu in Bannur village of Puttur taluk at a cost of Rs 549.79 crore. The project was part of the announcement made in the 2025-26 Budget and is aimed at providing better access to medical education and treatment facilities in the district.
The cabinet gave its nod for Rs 20 crore for maintenance of fisheries link roads in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada and another Rs 20 crore for fisheries-related infrastructure. A jetty for traditional fishing boats will be built at Kotekar, a berthing basin will come up at Bengre, and dredging will be undertaken from the entrance of the Mangaluru fishing harbour to Kotekar. Navigation buoys will also be installed to facilitate the safe movement of boats.
To ease congestion at the Mangaluru fishing harbour, a modern wholesale fish market will be developed at Yekkur on three acres of Fisheries College land along the National Highway at a cost of Rs 30 crore.
The Cabinet also decided to notify the coastal areas of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada as Special Marine Zones. A Special Processing Zone will be developed on 150 acres reserved for a fisheries park at Balakunje in Mulki taluk at a cost of Rs 30 crore, with common infrastructure aimed at helping local fisheries products meet global quality standards.
A major rural road programme was also approved. Under the Chief Minister’s Rural Road Connectivity Scheme, 15,000 km of rural roads will be developed at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore. The scheme will provide connectivity between villages, gram panchayats and taluk centres.
Another Rs 6,000 crore programme was approved for construction of cement-concrete roads and drains within village limits across the state.
The Cabinet also approved extension of operation and maintenance of three multi-village drinking water schemes in Dakshina Kannada for five years. The Karopady scheme covering 80 habitations will cost Rs 12.36 crore and benefit 64,138 people. The Sangabettu scheme covering 66 habitations will cost Rs 14.90 crore and benefit 81,525 people, while the Malavoor scheme covering 11 villages will cost Rs 11.40 crore and benefit 57,554 people.
With Panchayat Raj institutions completing their terms, the government plans to hold elections by December. The Cabinet approved Rs 151.31 crore for procurement of ballot boxes and live webcasting. The state has already amended the Panchayat Raj Act to provide for the use of ballot boxes instead of EVMs.
The Cabinet also approved the purchase of 6,350 computers and UPS systems for newly established village libraries at a cost of Rs 57.15 crore.
In Uttara Kannada, the Cabinet approved development of a multi-purpose port and shipbuilding centre at Manki under the PPP model. The 15 MTPA facility will have an estimated project cost of Rs 6,925 crore and is expected to generate Rs 2,902.69 crore in assured revenue. The project is also projected to give a Rs 28,000-crore boost to the state economy and create 44,800 direct and indirect jobs.
A greenfield shipbuilding yard will also be developed at Gangolli in Udupi district under the PPP model at an estimated cost of Rs 322 crore. The Cabinet further approved a feasibility study and appointment of a transaction adviser for a coastal passenger ferry service under the PPP model.
The newly created Kanakapura Wildlife Division will also be brought under the arrangement.
The government is planning to develop 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools across the state. Of these, 49 schools in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada will be developed at a cost of Rs 245 crore. The Cabinet decided to give special powers to Deputy Commissioners to accord administrative approval for the projects and authorised district-level engineers to invite tenders for specified works.
Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru, which receives patients from Dakshina Kannada, neighbouring districts and Kerala, will get 200 additional beds in the first phase. The Cabinet also approved provision of the required staff and equipment.
For Udupi district, the Cabinet approved Rs 19.06 crore for bulk water supply to seven villages in Kaup taluk under a scheme drawing water from the Udyavara river. A revised estimate of Rs 62.31 crore was also approved for supplying water to Kaup town and adjoining villages.
Mangala Stadium in Mangaluru will be developed as an international-standard stadium at a cost of Rs 20 crore, while a synthetic track will be installed at Udupi District Stadium at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
A handicrafts cluster will be established in Karkala taluk under the Centre’s MSE-CDP scheme at a cost of Rs 20 crore. Of this, Rs 14 crore will come from the Centre, Rs 3 crore from the state government and Rs 3 crore through a special purpose vehicle.
The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 10 crore for construction of the boundary wall of the new Mangaluru Central Prison.
It also gave in-principle approval to explore a Mangaluru Water Metro on the Gurupura and Nethravathi rivers under the PPP model. The Karnataka Water Transport Board has been authorised to undertake the necessary technical and financial feasibility assessment and further action.
In another decision concerning Pilikula Nisargadhama, the Cabinet decided to cancel the lease of 356.20 acres of land allotted on a lease basis and allot about 339.90 acres to the Department of Science and Technology.
An estimated Rs 100 crore will be spent on rehabilitation of the old underground drainage system in Mangaluru city’s Zone 3 and Surathkal under the Asian Development Bank-assisted Karnataka Integrated Urban Water Management and Investment Programme.
For Mangaluru city, the Cabinet approved a special grant of Rs 400 crore to convert damaged roads into cement-concrete roads and undertake comprehensive road infrastructure development. The action plan will be finalised under the leadership of the district in-charge minister.
The Cabinet also approved a Rs 94-crore water supply distribution project for Vittal town, including five years of operation and maintenance.
It approved land allotments to several institutions.
The Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Inland Vessels (Penalty and Appellate Adjudication) Rules, 2026, under which the Director of Ports will serve as the adjudicating officer and the Chief Executive Officer of the Karnataka Water Transport Board as the appellate authority. The rules provide for penalties for certain decriminalised violations and tighter enforcement of safety, registration and navigation regulations for vessels operating in coastal and inland waterways.
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