Several proposals for the betterment of the transport infrastructure in the city by the State government were met with an assurance of support from Union Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari.
During a meeting with City Development Minister K.J. George, Union Minister Ananth Kumar and several other officials, Mr. Gadkari asked the government to prepare a draft plan with suggestions to deal with traffic woes and promised to take up the issues with the ministries concerned.
“We have to reduce the cost for preparation of roads. My suggestion is to prepare a detailed project profile. Although I am responsible only for highways, our ministry has taken a policy decision to try and contribute for solutions for metro cities,” he said.
The minister also promised to start working on three major road projects by December. These are the 6-lane access controlled Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, widening of NH 209 between Bengaluru and Dindigul and NH 207 between Hoskote and Dabaspet.
He suggested studying land acquisition models being used for developing Amravati in Andhra Pradesh, Surat in Gujarat and construction of Navi Mumbai airport in Maharashtra for reducing the cost of the Peripheral Ring Road project.
Modified sub-urban rail project to be cleared in rail budget: K.J. GeorgeCity Development Minister K.J. George said that he had reviewed the sub-urban rail project and suggested that it be kept outside the central business district. “Currently, the project costs Rs. 9,000 crore. We suggested that connectivity be provided only between Tumakuru and Yeshwantpur, Whitefield and Baiyappanahalli and Mandya and Kengeri. If implemented, Phase I will cost Rs. 1,000 crore. We will raise 50 per cent of the funds while the Railway Minister has promised to fund the rest,” he said.
