Chief Minister clears projects worth Rs. 1,000 cr.

Chief Minister clears projects worth Rs. 1,000 cr.

The Hindu

Three flyovers, five grade separators and six car-parking complexes to come up soon

# 5,000 houses to be built for dwellers of 31 slums
# Revised plan prepared for Malleswaram grade separator

BANGALORE: A slew of infrastructure projects aimed at upgrading the city and decongesting traffic at a total cost of about Rs. 1,000 crore has been approved by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The Chief Minister, who on Tuesday reviewed the progress of infrastructure projects taken up by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and other civic agencies, especially those under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), told presspersons that three flyovers, five new grade separators and six car-parking complexes would be built in the next eight months.

This apart, 170 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads would be upgraded at a cost of Rs. 130 crore.

These roads are apart from those taken up under the Karnataka Municipal Reforms Project (KMRP) with assistance from the World Bank, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, who approved the BMP's slum housing project under which 5,000 houses would be built for dwellers of 31 slums at a cost of Rs 100 crore, said tenders for all these projects would be called by December 15.

Commissioner of BMP K Jairaj, who made a presentation to the Chief Minister on the projects planned by the civic body, said work on all projects, including grade separators at Malleswaram, R.V. Teachers' College and Tagore Circle would start by February 1.

The Commissioner said he apprised the Chief Minister that remodelling of storm water drains along the four major valleys and construction of the three underpasses had been approved under JNNURM at a cost of Rs. 690 crore.

Five new flyovers at a cost of Rs. 135 crore are being planned at Kanakapura Road, South End Circle, Lalbagh West, BTM Layout and Maharani College junction. Work on all these projects would be completed by October-November next year, he said.

"Six multi-level car parking complexes will come up near the Malleswaram Market, K.R. Market, Russel Market, Gandhinagar Market and on Siddaiah Road.

As per the Chief Minister's directions, we have also identified locations for ten more flyovers.

He has also asked us to study the feasibility of having flyovers near Town Hall and Bharat Talkies on J.C. Road," he said.

Under the slum housing project, five slums would be developed as "model slums" in coordination with the Karnataka Slum Clearance Board.

"The plan is to provide these slums with complete infrastructure including roads, power and water," the Commissioner said.

Replying to queries, the Commissioner said a revised plan had been prepared for the Malleswaram grade separator. "This Rs. 16-crore project has been approved under JNNURM and we have also incorporated several modifications based on inputs from residents.," he added.