Development works in city to be implemented in a phased manner

Development works in city to be implemented in a phased manner

Special Correspondent
Transport Minister Ashok denies allegations levelled by H.D. Kumaraswamy
BBMP has prepared a blueprint of projects to be taken up on priority

Works estimated to cost over Rs. 22,000 crore to be implemented over four years



R. Ashok
Bangalore: The State Government, apparently taken aback by the charges levelled against it by the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on long-term infrastructure development works for Bangalore, has categorically stated that it will go ahead with the works estimated to cost over Rs. 22,000 crore over a four-year period.

Minister for Transport R. Ashok, who is also the district in-charge Minister for Bangalore, told presspersons that unlike the previous governments , the present government had prepared a long-term action plan. It is unfortunate that the former Chief Minister has levelled charges of corruption even before the tenders have been floated, leave alone the Government implementing the work, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy had alleged that there was a massive scam in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike ( BBMP) implementing nearly Rs. 13,000 crore worth development works. He had also said that the BBMP with an eye on the elections to be held shortly had promoted the development plan to the benefit of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Mr. Ashok, who termed the charges as baseless and far from the truth, said the long-term plan would be implemented by the BBMP over a four-year period with funds drawn from the Union Government (JNNURM scheme) and from financial institutions apart from the State Government.

Tentatively, the BBMP will require Rs. 1,500 crore in the first year, Rs. 8,000 crore in the second and third years and Rs. 4,500 crore in the fourth year.

Steps would be taken to raise the required funds and the BBMP alone would net Rs. 5,000 crore with the implementation of the Akrama-Sakrama scheme shortly apart from Rs. 1,000 crore by way of property taxes every year.

In a clarification to the statement of Mr. Kumaraswamy, the BBMP said a blue print of the detailed report on the Capital Investment Plan for Infrastructure Development and Resource Mobilisation in the city of Bangalore amounting to Rs. 22,000 crore was prepared and submitted to the Government and approval was granted on October 2.

The BBMP has prepared a detailed blueprint of the projects that have to be taken up on priority for infrastructure development in Bangalore.