From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sep 6: Ahead of the elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) probably in October or November this year, the B S Yeddyurappa regime has chalked out an ambitious plan to woo the voters in country’s knowledge capital involving a massive investment of Rs 22,000 crore for tackling the infrastructure and traffic congestion bottlenecks.
Under the mega investment plan unveiled by Karnataka’s transport minister R Ashok, who is also the in-charge minister for the city, as many as 12 major projects are to be implemented by BBMP, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and private parties over the next three years from 2009-12.
The draft plan envisages converting 12 important corridors into signal free corridors covering a distance of 122 kms (Rs 2,500 crore); widening, strengthening and asphalting of arterial and sub-arterial roads in newly added zones (Rs 2350 crore); construction of elevated viaducts and other infrastructure works (Rs 2178 crore); construction of railway over and under bridges (Rs 355 crore) and construction of elevated road over stormwater drains from Double Road (Kengal Hanumanthaiah Road) to Koramangala (National Games Village) on Koramangala Valley (5 kms) and from Rajiv Gandhi Circle near Seshadripuram to Mysore Road on Vrishabhavathi Valley (10kms) (Rs 900 crore).
Other major projects are remodelling of storm water drains in newly added areas of BBMP (Rs 6600 crore), construction of 200 skywalks along the signal free corridors (Rs 600 crore), construction of 200 pedestrian subways using precast RCC segments (Rs 200 crore), construction of elevated north-south corridor (Madivala to Hebbal) and east corridor via Vellara junction to Whitefield (Rs 3000 crore), improvement of lakes and parks (Rs 1,000 crore), development of existing markets and construction of new markets in newly added zones (Rs 1300 crore) and land acquisition cost required for the infrastructure projects in the case of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) scheme is defeated (Rs 1,000 crore).
Ashok said 12 signal free corridors, 40 over/under railway bridges, 123 lakes, 272 parks, five markets, 200 each underpasses and sky walks, and many other projects would be implemented on public private partnership (PPP) model in the city.
Obviously indicating that the government had not done any concrete spadework for the proposed draft plan involving an huge investment, the minister said it would be ``finalised after consultation with experts and the public in the coming days.’’
It would be discussed with chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and placed before the State Cabinet for the approval, he said.
To a specific question on the resources for implementing the plan, he said BBMP would mobilise Rs 5,700 crore, the State Government and BDA would contribute Rs 2,000 crore each. A sum of Rs 2,000 crore would be sought from the Centre under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission and Rs 8,300 crore would be raised by bonds and loans with another Rs 2000 crore from the private sector.
He was, however, not in a position to give specific details.
The minister explained that BBMP had collected Rs 800 crore under the Self-Assessment Scheme and Rs 3,500 crore would be generated by implementing the Akrama-Sakrama scheme in the city. ``There is no shortage of funds for implementing projects,’’ he said.
In a bid to lend credibility to the minister’s assertions, BBMP commissioner Bharatlal Meena said talks with Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) for raising Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 crore loan had been initiated. ``All that is necessary for the loan is government security,’’ he added.