More funds for road works sought

More funds for road works sought
Deccan Herald

Bangalore Mahanagara Palike on Sunday appealed for a Rs 100-crore assistance from the State government for facilitating its ongoing works on road widening and storm water drains remodelling.

The appeal was made at a close-door review meeting convened by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. Bangalore City in-charge minister R Ashok was also present at the meeting. BMP’s works over the last three months is learnt to have been reviewed at the meeting.

BMP officials reportedly highlighted that the recommendations of the Captain Raja Rao-led experts committee, which said that BMP should seek additional financial assistance from the state government for road works.

In its fifth report submitted last month end, the Raja Committee had said that at least Rs 50,000 be allocated for the maintenance and operation of every kilometre of ward-wise road.

If need be, additional funds be sought from the State government for the said exercise, it had noted. BMP also sought the State government’s help in facilitating road-widening and SWD remodelling works in areas where the land belongs to the Railways and the Defence establishments. Kumaraswamy assured them to broach the matter with the respective authorities in Delhi during his next visit, it is learnt.

The need for more flyovers and underpasses for easing traffic congestion in the city was another issue that was discussed at length.

It is said that the Chief Minister directed BMP to plan them wherever found necessary and also suggested that escalators be tried out for pedestrian traffic at places like Majestic and Jayanagar BDA complex limits.

Among others, issues pertaining to Greater Bangalore project (merger of seven CMCs and a TMC with BMP), regularisation of building plan deviations and relaxation of rules binding on TDR, re-phrasing the lease clauses of BMP, a special drive against unauthorised posters and cut-outs were discussed.

The CM enquired about the rain-readiness of BMP in view of the havoc seen across many other cities in the country, the sources said.

The officials line up at the meeting were led by Urban Development Principal Secretary Lakshmi Venkatachalam, CM’s Principal Secretary Sudhakar Rao and BMP Commissioner K Jairaj.