Dharam cracks the infrastructure whip

Dharam cracks the infrastructure whip
The Times of India

Bangalore: For the second time since taking charge, chief minister N. Dharam Singh will do an S.M. Krishna: Keeping up the stress on Bangalore infrastructure, he will undertake a ‘darshan’ of the city in mid-April and inspect progress of ongoing works.

Cracking the whip at a review meeting with all Bangalore-related utilities — BCC, BDA, Bescom and BWSSB — the CM on Saturday asked them to meet projected targets, like the BATF did during the Krishna regime. Singh said after the meeting: “I will tour of Bangalore and make sure all projects are going as per schedule.’’

The meeting also chalked out a pre-monsoon action plan to stem rain-related damage, ahead of heavy rains that normally hit Bangalore post-July. The plans include:
Rs 15-crore project to reconstruct collapsed drains and repair others.
Desilting of drains to commence in April first week.
Covering and barricading drains in densely populated areas
Strengthening night squads in central and zonal offices
Setting up a system of samparka bandhu in each ward where private citizens will act as conduits to the BCC on rain damage-cum-relief.
Remodelling of stormwater drains — Koramangala (Rs 100 crore), Chalghatta (Rs 60 crore), Vrishabhavathi (Rs 130 crore) and Hebbal (Rs 100 crore) — was reviewed.

Moratorium?

The government is yet to take a decision on JD(S) president Deve Gowda’s demand that a 10-year moratorium be reimposed on resale of BDA sites by owners. A visibly discomfited CM said: “Such a moratorium was lifted by the previous government. Gowda has asked us to bring this back. Government will take action.’’ He refused to comment on the BMIC project, which has become a Congress-JD(S) bone of contention. He said the government would make its stand clear shortly.