Chidambaram disappoints Bangalore

Chidambaram disappoints Bangalore
Tuesday March 11 2008 10:57 IST

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

BANGALORE: P Chidambaram’s state Budget has disappointed Bangaloreans who are enduring a daily ordeal on the roads due to poor infrastructure.

A meagre grant of Rs 5 crore for providing high-speed rail link to Bangalore International Airport (BIA), a sum of Rs 93 crore as the state investment in BIA and Rs 38 crore for streamlining traffic management under the B-Trac project are all that the Budget contains for improving the worsening commuting problem in the city.

The Infrastructure Development Department has been provided with an allocation of Rs 449 crore as against Rs 418 crore the previous year.

Out of this Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for expediting work on airports in Mangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Bijapur, Shimoga, Hassan, Gulbarga, Karwar, Bidar and Belgaum.

The Public Works Department has received Rs 3271 crore for improving the road network in the state. An outlay of Rs 240 crore has been made for important roads in and around Bangalore.

An allocation of Rs 5 crore has been made for conducting the national youth games in Bangalore. While works under National Urban Renewal Mission have received a decent Rs 900 crore, the Budget makes no mention of the works and the cities where they were being implemented.

The ongoing Cauvery Water Supply Project has received an allocation of Rs 378 crore.