Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 7: State PWD minister, H D Revanna, said that out of 17 state highways developed in the state, tender process has been finalized in respect of seven. On the question of burdening the road users further after collecting life time tax at the time of vehicle registration, he said that maintenance of roads needs lot of funds.

"We have raised loan amounting to Rs 3,000 crore from agencies like Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Housing and Urban Development Corporation etc. As of now, we have approved setting up of tollgate for a limited period of three years," he said, speaking to media persons here on Monday May 6.

In reply to a question, Revanna said that the decision to fix toll charges for state highways had been taken when Yeddyurappa was the chief minister in 2011. He asked the reporters to question Yeddyurappa about the decision. He also said that those who find toll charges on Bengaluru - Mysuru road to be burdensome, can use a service road which would be build between these two cities by the government.

To a query, he said he is not aware about the appointment of additional chief engineer to Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and that he does not know who he is. He dismissed reports about his involvement in this appointment, duly asserting that BDA does not fall under his department. . On the reports appearing in a section of the press about him having granted contracts worth Rs 1,400 on piecemeal basis, the minister clarified that he has never ever sanctioned works on piece contract basis.

He predicted that JD(S) will win six or seven out of seven Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka for which it has fielded candidates and that the coalition parties together will win 18 to 20 seats. He said that the person, Devaraj, who complained about fake voters having exercised franchise at his behest, was lying and that the complainant is facing two cases.