5th Indian Open Surfing Meet to commence in Mangaluru on May 31

Vartha Bharati | 25-05-2024 | 21:06:00 IST

Representational Image | PC: surfingfederationofindia.org

Mangaluru: The 5th Indian Open of Surfing which is poised to spotlight the talent and skills of India's top surfers will begin from May 31 here.

Among the notable participants are Ramesh Budihal, Kishore Kumar, Harish M, Srikanth D, Manikandan D, Kamali Moorthy, Srishthi Selvam, and Sandhya Arun. These surfers will vie for top honours across four different categories: Men's Open, Women's Open, and Groms U-16 Boys & Girls.

The three-day event which will begin on May 31, commenced with an official inauguration on Friday under the auspices of the New Mangaluru Port Authority, which also serves as the event's title sponsor.

Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairman of the New Mangalore Port Authority, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with the 5th Indian Open of Surfing.

''Supporting surfing, one of the fastest-growing water sports both nationally and globally, is an opportunity we couldn't pass up,'' he said.

''Surfing has transformative potential for the region, positioning Mangalore as a premier destination for adventure enthusiasts. This, in turn, significantly boosts the local economy and empowers the local communities. We take pride in being part of an initiative that brings multifaceted benefits to the region,'' he added.

Mullai Muhilan, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshin Kannada, highlighted the longstanding support from the Karnataka Government and Karnataka Tourism for surfing.

''This support encourages more people to visit beautiful places like Sasihithlu and explore what the state has to offer in terms of tourism development,'' he said.

The organisers expressed their admiration for the surging popularity of surfing in India. As the tournament unfolds, hopes are high for India's rise in the global surfing scene.

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Adani Group emerges lowest bidder for Bengaluru’s 16.75-km tunnel road project

22-12-2025 ¦ 22-12-2025 IST

Image Credit: PTI

Bengaluru: The Adani Group has become the lowest bidder for both packages of the proposed 16.75-km tunnel road project in Bengaluru, according to sources familiar with the bids opened by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE).

According to a report published by Deccan Herald on Monday, the government estimated the entire project to cost Rs 17,698 crore, while the Adani Group has quoted Rs 22,267 crore. The ports-to-power conglomerate’s bid is about 24% higher for the first package and 28% higher for the second than the government’s estimates, a gap that could prompt authorities to seek the state Cabinet’s approval on the tenders’ fate.

M Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), who is also the Managing Director of B-SMILE, declined to comment.

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In all, four infrastructure companies had participated in the tenders for the project, which has been proposed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, with 40% funding from the government and the remaining investment to be raised by the private concessionaire.

During the technical evaluation, the Adani Group and the Hyderabad-based Vishwa Samudra Engineering Ltd qualified for the financial round.

According to the report, Dilip Buildcon was disqualified due to a clause that bars firms linked to collapsed bridges or tunnels, while Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) was rejected because its joint venture (JV) partner did not meet technical requirements.

With only two companies left in the fray, the Adani Group emerged as the lowest bidder, ahead of Vishwa Samudra.

The tunnel project officially named the North–South underground corridor, is part of the Congress government’s ambitious to ease Bengaluru’s traffic congestion by building two major underground roads (totalling 40 km) along with 13 flyovers and elevated corridors.

The project is the brainchild of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru development minister.

The proposal, however, has faced criticism and political opposition, especially from senior BJP leaders, who object to the alignment that requires acquiring six acres of Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a historic green space.

As per the report, Urban mobility experts have also warned that the tunnel corridor may clash with the alignment of Namma Metro’s Phase 3A, possibly affecting the metro expansion.