Only Rs. 100 crore for new projects in Bangalore city

Only Rs. 100 crore for new projects in Bangalore city

Staff Reporter

Rs. 1,540 crore allocated for various on-going projects


Bangalore: The budget presented on Friday makes an allocation of just Rs.100 crore for new projects in Bangalore city.

This has been earmarked for the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for providing recycled sewage to the tanks.

The budget has allocated a further Rs.1,540 crore for various ongoing projects. The only new initiative for the city is the upgrading and maintaining important roads with private partnership involving an investment of Rs.2,000 crore; but no allocation has been made for this purpose.

Though the budget commits Rs. 4,140 crore for various infrastructure projects in the city during 2009-10, Rs. 2,500 crore will be spent by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) out of their own funds. The budget commitments include spending from both the State exchequer as well as by infrastructure agencies.

While the BDA and the BBMP will spend Rs. 800 crore and Rs. 500 crore respectively from their funds towards infrastructure projects, the BMTC will spend Rs. 500 crore to purchase a minimum of 1,000 high quality buses as part of modernisation of public transport system. Unlike in the previous year, this year there is no special allocation from the Government for the BBMP to improve infrastructure in the city. The Government had provided Rs. 300-crore special financial support to the BBMP and Rs. 240 crore for developing prominent roads around the city in the previous budget.

Allocation for the Metro Rail project in the previous budget was Rs. 700 crore as against Rs. 600 crore this year.
Funds earmarked

Allocation of Rs. 300 crore for the Cauvery 4th Phase drinking water scheme implemented through the Japan Bank of International Cooperation, Rs. 600 crore for the underground drainage scheme taken up with the assistance of the World Bank, Rs. 600 crore for the Bangalore Metro Rail, and Rs. 40 crore for Bangalore traffic management programme, come under the Rs.1,540 crore earmarked for the ongoing projects for 2009-10.

It was once again stated in the budget, as was done last year, that the BDA would implement the outer peripheral ring road project.

The BDA would be spending about Rs. 700 crore during 2009-10 for acquisition of land and other preparatory works in this regard. The Government, in the budget, has also reiterated its commitment to provide super-fast rail connectivity to the Bengaluru International Airport under the private partnership.

However, no budgetary support has been made for the purpose.