Mega-investment plan prepared for Bangalore infrastructure

Mega-investment plan prepared for Bangalore infrastructure

Special Correspondent
Twelve projects to be implemented over a period of three years
Rs. 22,000-crore investment proposal ready

BBMP, BDP and private parties to be involved

BANGALORE: The State Government has prepared a Rs. 22,000-crore investment proposal to address infrastructure bottlenecks and traffic congestion in the central part of Bangalore. Twelve projects will be implemented for the purpose during the next three years (2009-12).

The State Government will involve the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bangalore Development Authority and private parties.

The draft plan envisages making 12 important traffic corridors signal-free over a distance of 122 km (Rs. 2,500 crore); widening, strengthening and asphalting arterial and sub-arterial roads in newly added zones of the BBMP (Rs. 2,350 crore); construction of elevated viaducts and other infrastructure (Rs. 2,178 crore); construction of railway overpasses and underpasses (Rs. 355 crore); and construction of elevated roads over storm-water drains from Double Road (K.H. Road) to Koramangala and from Rajiv Gandhi Circle near Seshadripuram to Mysore Road along the Koramangala valley (5 km) and the Vrishabhavathi valley (10 km) respectively (Rs. 900 crore).

Other projects
Other major projects are remodelling of storm-water drains in newly added areas of the BBMP (Rs. 6,600 crore); construction of 200 skywalks along the signal-free corridors (Rs. 600 crore); construction of 200 pedestrian subways using pre-cast RCC segments (Rs. 200 crore); construction of an elevated north-south corridor (Madivala to Hebbal) and an east corridor via Vellara junction to Whitefield (Rs. 3,000 crore); improvement of lakes and parks (Rs. 1,000 crore); development of existing markets and construction of new markets in newly added zones (Rs. 1300 crore); and cost of land acquisition for the infrastructure projects in case the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) scheme has to be scrapped (Rs. 1,000 crore).

Minister for Transport R. Ashok told presspersons here on Saturday that the signal-free corridors, 40 railway overpasses and underpasses, 123 lakes, 272 parks, five markets, 200 underpasses and skywalks each, and many other projects would be implemented on the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The draft plan will be finalised in consultation with experts and the public in the coming days. It will be discussed with Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and placed before the State Cabinet for approval, the Minister said.

Resource mobilisation
Asked about the mobilisation of resources required for projects, he said the BBMP would mobilise Rs. 5,700 crore and the State Government and the BDA would contribute Rs. 2,000 crore each. A sum of Rs. 2,000 crore would be sough from the Centre under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and Rs. 8,300 crore raised from bonds and loans and Rs. 2,000 crore from the PPP.

The BBMP has collected Rs. 800 crore in property tax and Rs. 3,500 crore would be generated by implementing the Akrama-Sakrama scheme. There was no shortage of funds for implementing projects in Bangalore, Mr. Ashok said.

BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena said the BBMP had initiated talks with the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) for a loan of up to Rs. 5,000 crore, for which the Government would provide guarantee.

He said these projects would not only beautify the City but also help maintain cleanliness.

So far there had been no vision document for development of Bangalore. To a question on the relevance of magic boxes, he said work on such projects would be stopped soon.