Bangalore One launched; becomes functional

Bangalore One launched; becomes functional

The Hindu

BANGALORE, APRIL 2. Bangalore needs a metropolitan authority for planned growth of the city and its suburbs, the Chief Minister, N. Dharam, Singh said here today.

After inaugurating the Bangalore One (B1) multi-agency information and payments centre at Vijayanagar BDA Complex, he said: "Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai have metropolitan authorities and Bangalore which has been growing faster than these cities needs such an authority badly. Right now, organisations such as Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and the Karnataka Housing Board are looking after many of the developments in and around the city. There is nobody to coordinate their work which often overlaps."

The Government is keen on improving infrastructure in and around Bangalore, he said and pointed out that while he will request the Centre to expedite Cabinet sanction on the Metro Rail project and the international airport, he is confident that more funds will come from the Union Government for the airport project on which work should start without further delay.

Hi-tech city

"We have allocated Rs. 491 crores for the Hi-tech City just outside Bangalore. I have asked the BDA and the BMP to complete the work on flyovers and underpasses at least by May-end. I am convening a meeting of MPs for Bangalore on Monday and will discuss with them about what more needs to be done for the city's infrastructure," Mr. Singh said.

The Union Minister of State for Planning, M.V. Rajashekharan, said the B1 centres will strengthen Karnataka's record in e-governance, which is already a model for responsibility, accountability and transparency. The Lok Sabha member for Bangalore South, H.N. Ananth Kumar, suggested that since the Metro Rail may cost around Rs. 4,500 crores, the investment could be shared equally between the Union and State governments. "As the IT and aerospace capital, Bangalore should have an international airport as well as Metro Rail," he said.

Vijay Gore, Additional Chief Secretary in charge of e-governance, said that 14 centres were opened today and in about two years there will be 50 B1 centres across the city. "We are concluding arrangements with KSRTC for booking long distance bus tickets through B1 centres and have requested the Railways to enable ticket booking," he said.

The Reserve Bank of India has been requested to approve treasury transactions such as commercial tax payments. The Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, R. Ramalinga Reddy; the Chief Secretary, K.K. Misra, the Deputy Mayor of Bangalore, Shantakumari; and the Binnypet MLA; V. Somanna; were among those present.