Mangaluru: The Mahakalipadpu railway underbridge, a key infrastructure project intended to provide direct entry into Mangaluru city from Kerala and Ullal, remains closed to public traffic despite completion of major works, Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker and Mangaluru MLA U.T. Khader said on Wednesday.

Addressing reporters at the Circuit House, Khader said the project had been approved during his tenure as Urban Development Minister, but multiple factors had contributed to delays in making it operational. He said discussions would soon be held with the concerned ministers, officials and departments to address pending issues and ensure that the underbridge is opened for vehicular movement at the earliest.

The underbridge is expected to significantly ease congestion on the Pumpwell–Karavali Junction stretch, which currently serves as the primary access route into the city for vehicles from Ullal, Mudipu and Kerala. However, Khader acknowledged that certain works were still incomplete and that coordination with various authorities, including the police, was required before opening the route to traffic.

He said officials would conduct site inspections to identify bottlenecks and implement corrective measures. The delay has caused inconvenience to commuters, leading to growing public demand for early commissioning of the facility.

During the same interaction, Khader also highlighted the need for improved healthcare infrastructure in the region. He said proposals were being considered to establish satellite centres of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Mangaluru. Such facilities, he said, would benefit patients from four to five neighbouring districts and reduce the burden of long-distance travel for specialised treatment. He urged the state government to consider the proposals in the forthcoming budget.