Infrastructure stuck in numbers game

Infrastructure stuck in numbers game
The past two years have seen a steady decline in Bangalore’s infrastructure. Residents, industry chiefs and the media have made a hue and cry over the city crumbling, forcing the Centre to sit up and react. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday once again asked the Karnataka government, now in the hands of H D Kumaraswamy, to buck up. With this backdrop, S Kushala and Swati Anand draw up a checklist of the projects that need to be taken up and speak to residents’ associations and experts to suggest priority areas.

The Times of India


For the past two years, Bangalore has been crying for development. Residents have taken to the streets and ITBT honchos have been making noises about crumbling infrastructure, as much as threatening to boycott the prestigious IT.Com.

Yet, everytime there is such a ruckus, a hurried meeting of the civic authorities is convened by the government. And tall claims and promises are made about bigbudget projects to be rolled out for the city. However, a few days later, the euphoria dies down and everything is back to normal. The roads continue to be pathetic, huge potholes stare at you, pavements are chipped off, drains are clogged ... the list is endless.

Check this out: Of the Rs 1,285-crore expenditure outlay of BMP’s 2004-05 budget, guess how much was spent? Not even 40 per cent of the allocation! It’s no exaggeration that the corporation prepares an inflated outlay even as its coffers are empty.

Bangaloreans are just treated to some magnificent numbers about infrastructure: A whopping Rs 1,000-crore outlay for an infrastructure masterplan, to be implemented over the next three years, includes flyovers, subways, development of roads, pavements, streetlight and parks. But very little visibility has been achieved on this front.

On Tuesday, none less than the PM himself expressed concern over Bangalore’s crumbling infrastructure. He advised chief minister Kumaraswamy and his deputy B S Yediyurappa to give top priority to address the IT capital’s infrastructure woes.

Among the host of projects that have to be carried out in Bangalore, the Metro Rail is the biggest. The Rs 5,800-crore project is expected to rid Bangaloreans of transportation problems. Kumaraswamy is keen on the project and has held two review meetings with the civic authorities where he listed out the works to be taken up on a war-footing. Going by his words, within 15 months, nearly 1,200 km of roads will be motorable.
Well, meeting after meeting, deadlines after deadlines ... Any action? Wait and watch for the next 15 months.