Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru Nov 24: A community level international Olympic standard swimming pool worth Rs 24.94 crore was inaugurated by urban development minister Bairathi Suresh at Yemmekere on November 24.
Bairathi Suresh said, “An international standard swimming pool is inaugurated here today. It is part of the Smart City project where there is an equal fund from the state and central government. Unfortunately, the money for Smart City works here is not spent in development works that would benefit public. Assets have to be created out of Smart City funds. Funds were not allocated to attract tourists in Mangaluru.”
Speaker U T Khader said, “The public will benefit from the newly constructed swimming pool. Apart from swimming pool, an additional Rs 2.5 crore has been allotted for the development of the playground here with lot of facilities.” He also said that a plan will be proposed before the urban development minister for a project to attract tourists.
Addressing the gathering, MLA Vedavyas Kamath said, “I thank the urban development minister for inaugurating the newly-constructed swimming pool here. Byrathi Suresh is from Bengaluru urban and knows Bengaluru city well. He had to actively work and understand the sentiments of people from the Bengaluru urban area to win in his constituency. You have already announced a few projects. Like the mayor mentioned, the DPR of certain projects will be sent to Bengaluru and we believe that you will sanction the projects for the overall development of Mangaluru.
“There were a lot of constraints before we began the project, like the protest by locals against the construction of a swimming pool here. We had 5-6 rounds of meetings with the locals and had to convince them that the playground here will be developed for cricket. Funds apart, we need to work from the ground level over any project.
“We are going to construct Rs 115 crore worth central market under the PPP model and Rs 100 crore worth multi-level car parking. The revenue generated will go to the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC).
“Funds were allocated for Ullal to Mangaluru road work. Meanwhile, V G Siddhartha lost his life. The property belonging to Siddhartha was under the possession of three banks. Six rounds of meetings were held by the MP with the director of Coffee Day Balraj Shetty and bank officials. We had to request the bank officials and let us repay the money by selling the TDR. Hence, we bought a 1.5 acre-land from Coffee Day after taking the necessary permission from the bank,” he said.
The MLA also requested minister Suresh Bairathi to start the tender process of shops on Kadri Park road and also implement the river front project. He also urged the minister to allot an additional Rs 2 crore for the development work of Yemmekere ground with gallery and lights as mentioned in the resolution during the protest against the construction of Yemmekere swimming pool.
Meanwhile, dignitaries inaugurated the three-day 19th National Masters Swimming Championship 2023, in association with Karnataka swimming association.
The newly built swimming pool complex has a competition pool with 50m length X 25 m width and a varying depth to be used as training pool of 25m length X 10 width X 2.2m depth. With the view to initiate children early in to competitive swimming, a kids pool of 13.8 length X 10 m width X 1.2 m depth has also been provided.
The unique feature of this pool is its positioning at +7.0 m of deck level allowing for cars and two-wheeler parking at the basement as well as filtration unit under the pool bottom. This design also provides an opportunity to create mezzanine floor in which house dormitories for male and female competitors, gymnasium, changing rooms, toilets and lockers, administration office and spare for sports medicine and physiotherapy, anti-doping room and other requisite facilities for conducting international events.
The open to sky swimming pool has spectator seating with the capacity of 400 people and the opposite side of the spectator seating is designated for swimmers, officials, trainers and coaches. Two separate elevators are provided for accessing the higher level pool competition area and spectator gallery.
As many as 700 have registered for the 19th National Masters Swimming Championship 2023. More than 150 officials are taking part in the event.