The Congress government seems to be resolute in scoring over the previous BJP government. Bangalore has got a whopping Rs. 8,640-crore allocation in the budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday.
While the total allocation for urban development in the State is Rs. 9,286 crore, the government has earmarked the lion’s share of it to meet the needs of the burgeoning Bangalore city. This allocation is over Rs. 2,000 crore more than that made by the previous government. The city had received Rs. 6,203 crore in the budget presented in February by the then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.
Cluster development
In hope of bringing back glory to Bangalore, Mr. Siddaramaiah has allocated funds to solve many issues, including waste management, traffic congestion and greening the city. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been given Rs. 4,790 crore, while the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has got Rs. 2,850 crore and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) Rs. 1,000 crore. The budget has also proposed to implement the City Cluster Development project in the BBMP area at Rs. 2,100 crore.
Apart from giving the green signal to the suburban rail system, road infrastructure projects aimed at easing traffic congestions have been proposed. The government has given the BBMP the go ahead to take up widening of Bannerghatta Road and Sarjapur Road, according to the Revised Master Plan 2015, at a cost of Rs. 300 crore.
That apart, construction of two elevated roads at a cost of Rs. 350 crore has been proposed. The elevated road from Jayadeva hospital junction to Central Silk Board junction will be integrated with the proposed metro second phase alignment, the other elevated road will be from Ejipura junction to Sarjapura Road via Sony World junction at Koramangala. Construction of railway overbridges (ROB) and railway underbridges (RUB) at railway-level crossings in association with the Railways at Rs. 200 crore has also been proposed.
Projects such as development of 100 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads at Rs. 300 crore, construction of grade separators at Rs. 500 crore and improvement of important junctions in the central business district, proposed in previous budgets, have made an appearance in this budget.
The government has once again proposed the construction of multilevel car parking facilities in the city, besides mooting a parking policy for Bangalore and other city corporations.
Skywalks
The other infrastructure development projects proposed include pedestrian skywalks (Rs. 100 crore) and basic civic amenities in 110 newly added villages under the BBMP (Rs. 250 crore). The government also earmarked Rs. 320 crore for projects taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. To modernise the solid waste management system in the city, an allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been made.
In an attempt to green the city, 1.6 lakh saplings will be planted across the city at Rs. 20 crore through Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. As many as 44 lakes will also be developed by clearing encroachments and preventing sewage inflow at Rest. 100 crore. BMRCL will develop Kengeri and Veerasandra lakes in a scientific and exemplary model this fiscal year.
