YAY: Dharam promises infrastructure improvement

YAY: Yet Another Yar(w)n


Karnataka Govt to focus on pending projects, urban infrastructure issues
The Hindu Business Line

THE State Chief Minister, Mr N. Dharam Singh, has reiterated his Government's resolve to take up urban infrastructure issues in right earnest and assured the industry that the pending projects in flyovers and strengthening the road network would be taken up soon.

He also reminded the IT industry about the proposed IT corridor in the Electronic City and said the Congress (I) - Janata Dal (S) coalition Government would fulfil its promises relating to building an elevated road to reduce the congestion on the Hosur Road connecting the IT hub in Electronic City.

Mr Singh made these observations here on Thursday while addressing a function organised by the Reuters, the global information agency, to formally announce its data centre operations in Bangalore.

The Chief Minister, who surprised the gathering by turning up early, also reassured the Reuters executives that while the Government had given primary focus to farm and rural sectors, it was equally alive to the concerns of the IT and biotechnology industries for world class roads and other urban support services to retain and further attract foreign investors.

Stating that the proposed IT corridor would be developed on a 600-acre land, Mr Dharam Singh said it would be a self-contained facility with its own power and other infrastructure facilities.

It would also have its own shopping malls, commercial office and residential complexes so that the IT corridor would help in decongesting the city. In their reference to the poor infrastructure, Mr Geert Linnebank, Editor-in-Chief and Global Head of Content, Reuters, and Mr Kiran Karnik, President of Nasscom, said better infrastructure would help the industry plan its expansions accordingly and quickly.

Mr Karnik said that not only Bangalore, but the emerging IT centres such as Mysore, Hubli and Mangalore should also get Government's attention to improve the basic facilities such as roads, power and social infrastructure.