The Hindu : Karnataka News : Minister favours Gujarat model for upkeep of major roads

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Karnataka

Karnataka

Minister favours Gujarat model for upkeep of major roads

Special Correspondent

Shobha Karandlaje says detailed project report being prepared on the proposal

Rs. 75,000 crore to be spent on road development projects in five years
About 1.50 lakh km roads to be covered under private-public partnership model

CHICKBALLAPUR: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje on Friday said the State Government would follow the Gujarat model of private-public partnership (PPP) for development and maintenance of all State highways, major district roads and roads under the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.

Experts from the Infrastructure Development Corporation of Karnataka (IDECK) and engineers from the Public Works Department were preparing a detailed project report on the subject, Ms. Karandlaje said.

The Minister told presspersons here after reviewing the functioning of the Chickballapur Zilla Panchayat that the Government would soon convene a meeting of investors, bankers and companies to discuss the project.

The private partners would take up the work either on annuity or build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis, she said.

While private partners might be allowed to collect toll on certain highways and major roads, rest of the roads would be toll free. Around 1.50 lakh km of roads in rural areas of the State which were being maintained by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj would be covered under the proposed project, Ms. Karandlaje said.

While making out a case for taking up road development and maintenance under PPP, the Minister said that although the Government had spent hundreds of crores of rupees on roadworks over the years, only 39,000 km of roads had been asphalted so far.

Official sources told The Hindu that the State Government was planning to spend Rs. 75,000 crore in the next five years and Rs. 15,000 crore annually for providing quality roads throughout the State.

Drinking water

Ms. Karandlaje said that a study had indicated that there was high fluoride presence in drinking water in 14,500 villages in the State, including 322 in Chickballapur district. Besides, iron and nitrate content were found in water in 6,500 villages and nitrate filter kits had been supplied to all these villages.

Measures were taken to supply water, under the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission, from surface sources to those villages where fluoride content was high.

The Government was thinking of supplying drinking water from surface water sources to these villages under PPP model, she said.

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