Opposite page: The region of
Karwar has a complex
diversity of natural and
cultural elements
This page: Snapshots of key
landmarks and the natural
topography of Karwarthe wards. The southeastern areas have a
much lower density compared to the rest.
Demographics
It is expected that around 85,000 migrants
will move to the city in the future. While the
master plan predicts the in-migration of a range
of skilled workers to man the infrastructure
projects, the local fishermen community is
migrating out of Karwar. The primary reasons
for this are better prospects, and access to
healthcare and education.
Outmigration of active fishermen from the
district might lead to an under-utilisation and
wastage of the scarce marine fisheries
potential of the Uttar Kannada coast.
Commercial activity
Karwar’s major commercial activity is
concentrated in the highly congested CBD
area, marked by the prominence of both the formal
and temporal activities. The 2021 Master
Plan proposes decentralisation of commercial
spaces by introducing new commercial spaces
along the major roads of the city. The intention
is to make the facilities easily accessible to
the common people for which 3.21 per cent
of the urbanised area is to be reserved for
commercial use.
Protest over shifting of market in Karwar:
Such articles are symptomatic of top-down
decision-making. This impacts the daily
livelihoods of communities. In this case, the
‘weekly market’ in question is a large regional
affair. The vendors come with their wares
from the rural hinterland and so do the
buyers. There is a complex ecosystem that
facilitates such events in the city. The
municipality has recognised it as an important
element and institutionalised its occurrence as
a ‘weekly market’.Industries
Karwar’s industrial area lies in the southern
part, developed by KIADB. The proposed
expansion for industries has been limited to
5.56 per cent of the total area owing to the
expected limitation of scope.
The expansion of the port is part of an
ambitious plan to place Karwar on the national
map. The investments in the port and its
infrastructure is a trigger for economy in the
region of Karwar. However, the proximity of
the port to the city makes it a point of
conflict. The port continues to take away land
from the settlement like in the case of
construction of two Indian Oil Corporation
terminals mentioned above. This creates
tensions between the residents and the
port authorities.