I BELIEVE IN BANGALORE

I BELIEVE IN BANGALORE

CM offers a Rs8,200-cr promise for the city's infrastructure: a first ever road tunnel for Bangalore, more signal-free roads and funds for projects under ABIDe. And he retains his focus on farmers by offering them farm loans at 3% interest from banks

Rohith BR. Bangalore
The city never had it so good in the past few years, at least through budget promises. Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Friday returned to present his fourth state budget in a row with a renewed zeal to spruce up Bangalore's infrastructure.
He announced a Rs8,200 crore package for Bangalore's infrastructure development, which would include the first-ever tunnel to ease road traffic.
The tunnel project would be undertaken by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to link the Hebbal flyover complex with Mysore Road, passing under Tumkur Road.
Yeddyurappa, in his budget presentation, also pointed out that the BDA would implement the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) using funds provided to the authority in the previous budget for developmental works.
This road would be developed under the public-private partnership model and would be a 10-lane junction free road for which the Authority has already prepared a blueprint.
These would be two of the projects planned to be implemented using part of the Rs800 crore at BDA's disposal for 2009-10.
Besides, there is a special Rs2,000 crore programme planned for the upgradation of important roads in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) area which would be maintained through private partnership, Yeddyurappa said.
Most roads coming under this project will include arterial and sub-arterial roads coming under the Greater Bangalore area. BBMP officials said the project would ease vehicle load on main roads in the city and facilitate smooth flow of traffic. "Vehicle users can expect smooth transportation between the central business district and the newly-added CMC areas to Bangalore," said an official.• Projects will help reduce travel time p20