Infrastructure is high on priority list

Infrastructure is high on priority list
Govt Reiterates Commitment, Reviews Projects
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Bangalore development agenda was again in focus as chief minister B S Yeddyurappa kicked off work on two flyovers to be constructed by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), on Monday. At an event attended by ministers and top-rung BJP leaders, Yeddyurappa reiterated the government’s commitment towards bringing “world-class infrastructure’’ to the state capital.
On top of the list was extension of Namma Metro to Electronic City, a demand long debated upon. Yeddyurappa said the government will take measures to ensure that the Metro reaches the showpiece IT pocket. RITES has already identified the Yelahanka-Electronic City route as one of the corridors for the second phase. The route covers Tannery Road, Cantonment, M G Road, Hosur Road and Central Silk Board (CSB) Junction. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) has also been asked to expedite work on the first phase, that’s expected to be ready by the end of 2010.
Besides, the state is pumping in about Rs 1,000 crore for various development works on the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Roads continue to be a focus area, with plans lined up for newly-added areas, as well as traffic management systems. The government is following up on the signal-free CSB-Hebbal corridor. The signal-free model is being pursued for the Hebbal-Tumkur Road and Tumkur Road-Mysore Road stretches too. Tendering for about 50 works in newly-added BBMP areas is also on. Encroachments in areas like HSR Layout will also be dealt with.
The CM, detailing the plans to meet the threat of terrorism, said colleges have been asked to keep a watch on suspected terror elements entering their campuses.
Projects for Bommanahalli
Bommanahalli MLA M Satish Reddy sought the CM’s intervention to cancel a proposal to construct a Judges’ Colony in HSR Layout on land that was originally earmarked for a playground. Work on the Begur-Agara rajakaluve is expected to commence in a month, while Rs 60 crore and Rs 95 crore have been earmarked for work on roads and underground drainage systems respectively in the constituency.
Bangalore South MP Ananth Kumar said construction of flyovers will be complemented with the extension of Namma Metro to Electronic City, to address the concerns of burgeoning traffic in the Bommanahalli neighbourhood.
Two more ORR flyovers
The BDA on Monday kicked off construction of two flyovers along the ORR — at Iblur and Agara junctions — on a proposed combined budget of Rs 93.94 crore. The flyovers, being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission are expected to be completed in 18 months.
The Iblur junction flyover will have a three-lane carriageway and the Agara junction flyover will have a six-lane dual carriageway. They will play a key role in easing traffic on CSB-Marathahalli stretch.
FOCUS BANGALORE
Construction of two flyovers on ORR taken up by BDA Plans for road works being followed up New race course in a year Statue of Lal Bahadur Shastri proposed in Bangalore Proposal to make entire CSB-Hebbal stretch signal-free Infrastructure projects for Bommanahalli expedited