20 Bangalore projects still stay on paper

20 Bangalore projects still stay on paper

2011 is deadline for 37 projects under JNNURM, but city way off mark

Rohith B R. Bangalore

At a time when the prime minister has spoken of investment in infrastructure as a remedial measure for tackling the slump in the economy, DNA has found that several infrastructure projects sanctioned for the city are still to take off.
The R V Teachers' College junction near Lalbagh is the site of several accidents. Students commute regularly along this stretch. An underpass project here was sanctioned over two years ago by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). This project remains shelved, on account of technical glitches. A central grant of Rs 1.6 crore remains unspent.
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) cannot trace over 300 million litres of drinking water, of the 900 million litres that it draws from the Cauvery each day. A project worth Rs 15.3 crore to install a bulk water metering system to keep track of supply volumes, water wastage and imbalances in water supply has been pending implementation for over 26 months. The water board has already received Rs 1.53 crore in central grants for the project. The Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, launched in 2005, has set 2011 as its deadline for projects across 63 cities. Many projects planned for Bangalore, however, are still to begin.