Revanna blamed for poor city roads

Revanna blamed for poor city roads
BENGALURU







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The state govern ment on Thursday directed the chief engineer of PWD to give a detailed report on the alleged sub-standard works carried out on 46 roads in and around Bengaluru city, which were developed at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore during former PWD minister H.D. Revanna’s tenure. Mr Revanna handled the PWD portfolio in the JD(S)-BJP government headed by his brother H.D. Kumaraswamy According to public works minister C.M. Udasi, Banneraghatta Road and roads in areas in the city dominated by IT companies were crumbling because of the poor quality of work though huge funds were spent for the purpose.

Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was quick to react to Mr Udasi’s announcement describing it as a political witchhunt, “The man whose family was involved in real estate business has no right to tell us that substandard work was carried out on roads in Bengaluru during Mr Revanna’s tenure as PWD minister. This is nonsense,” he said. With a large part of the state lacking motorable roads, the government is planning to upgrade 17,000 kms of road stretches over the next five years. The PWD department will soon award works for this.

Mr Udasi said these roads will be widened up to 7 metres.

About 3,500 kms of the 17,000 km would be devel oped under Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project- II (K-ship II). The remaining works, will be entrusted to Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), he added.

Roads will be developed on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.

The funds required for road improvement will be obtained from World Bank, HUDCO and the Union government.

The minister said the government was firm on its decision to collect toll on some state highways as it required huge funds for maintaining these roads.

A meeting is scheduled to be held on this issue shortly which will arrive at a final decision on imposing the tol