The road to better infrastructure

The road to better infrastructure
IT firms, builders and corporates are chipping in to put roads in place
The Times of India


Bangalore has grown by leaps and bounds. Consequently, an area that has taken a beating in the recent years is road infrastructure. However, on a positive note, it is more than welcome to see builders, IT firms, corporates and industries chipping in to iron out the road woes.

Last year two major roads - Whitefield Road and Bannerghatta Road - were developed under the public-private participation (PPP) scheme involving the Public Works Department, Bangalore City Corporation along with IT companies and builders. Says a senior engineer with the PWD, "the Karnataka Public Works Department (KPWD), with a PPP scheme, and Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE) took up road upgradation works of Whitefield Road and Bannerghatta Road. The Whitefield Road, from Marathahalli till the railway level crossing near Kadugodi, a stretch of 8.5 km, was taken up at a cost of Rs 16 crores. The roadwork was long pending and we are happy that things are moving in a fast pace. The PPP funding towards this project has come as a great help. The builders and corporates contributed Rs 11 crores in total of the Rs 16 crores".

On Bannerghatta Road, he said, "the road was narrow and was dotted with potholes and drew a lot of flak from the techies, residents and students. We planned a four-lane road but it took some time for the work to take off though sanctions and contribution came in time as it was not clear whether to go for a four-lane or a six-lane road as the second option involved land acquisition from private owners. The 8-km four-lane road between Bannerghatta Road entrance and Meenakshi Temple was developed at a cost of Rs 15 crores with contribution from BCC, IT companies and builders. While the footpath and illumination work on Whitefield Road is completed, the same work is being carried out now on the Bannerghatta Road.

In exchange for the contributions to the project by the builders and the corporates, advertisement space in traffic islands and medians would be allotted to them proportionately for a period of ten years.

Giving further details of the projects undertaken by the PWD in and around Bangalore, he said, "right now the PWD is working towards the development of five major roads with IT activities - Bannerghatta Road, Airport-Varthur Road, Sarjapur Road, New Central Jail-Sarjapur Road, and the NH 7 to Bannerghatta Road. The whole project is costing us Rs 49 crores and we are looking forward to meetings with the IT companies for contributions".

However, when it comes to the arterial and major roads inside the city, a lot needs to be done as the roads have become incapacitated over the last five years. While it is a Herculean task to upkeep the vast road property, PPP can be a solution. Says, Jairam, Deputy Commissioner (East), BCC, "the PPP scheme has proved good when it comes to parks, medians, traffic islands. We are open to ideas that make operating mechanisms effective. Once we take up road widening work, the whole exercise will involve a lot of money and manpower, and PPP could make this programme more effective and successful".