Many projects outlined for public-private partnership

Many projects outlined for public-private partnership

The Hindu
BANGALORE: The Government on Friday invited entrepreneurs and consortiums from within the country and abroad to invest in a range of infrastructure projects, including those designed for easing traffic congestion in Bangalore and providing air connectivity to various district headquarters in the State.

At a Special Plenary on Karnataka "Emergent India-New Roles and Responsibilities" organised as part of the CII Partnership Summit 2007, heads of departments and agencies of the State Government outlined the projects available for joint development through public-private partnership.

The projects on offer included reconstruction and development of 12 markets, 15 automated multi-storeyed car parks and development of a commercial complex and a theatre in Bangalore city. The other projects on offer are the Core Ring Road to overcome traffic congestion in Bangalore at a cost of Rs. 1,800 crore and the Peripheral Ring Road to be built at a cost of Rs. 2,675 crore.

BOT scheme

Special Commissioner of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Gaurav Gupta said: "Private initiative can come in the form of build-own-transfer (BOT) scheme and all the projects are in the prime localities of Bangalore."

Commissioner of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda said that the requisite land for the Peripheral Ring Road had been notified and would be acquired by the BDA.

The cost of the project was Rs. 2,675 crore, excluding the land cost and the BDA's participation would be through the acquisition of land. "The Peripheral Ring Road is a viable project and the global tender would be invited in April/May 2007," he said.

Four airfields

Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development, V.P. Baligar, said the Government had offered four airfields for joint development with the private sector.

The proposal was to develop airports in Bellary, Bijapur, Gulbarga and Shimoga under the public-private partnership. While land for the airport at Gulbarga had been acquired, land for the airport in Bijapur had been identified. The Government had also notified the land for developing an airport in Shimoga.

Private participation in the development of aviation infrastructure, he said, could be exciting as domestic air travel had seen a growth of 57 per cent.

The growth of air cargo had gone up by 40 per cent in India. There was also a proposal to build 20 helipads in places such as Hampi, Belur, Badami, Chikmagalur and Jog Falls to promote tourism, he added.

Earlier, Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries, K.M. Shivakumar, spoke.