₹669-crore proposal to repair roads in Bengaluru

As many potholes surfaced in Bengaluru city roads following heavy rains in October, the State government has prepared a ₹669-crore proposal to repair roads.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, along with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also holding Bengaluru Development portfolio, took stock of the rain related havoc in Bengaluru and said a team of the World Bank visited the city and agreed to lend ₹5,000 crore to the State. Out of ₹5,000 crore, the Chief Minister said ₹3,500 could be spent on development of public infrastructure in Bengaluru.

In October alone, Bengaluru city received rainfall of 275 mm. In 2005, the city had received 407 mm. More than 14,000 potholes were filled, but they have surfaced again, Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

For development of 173 km of rajakaluve in the city, the World Bank has agreed to grant a loan of ₹2,000 crore. The loan agreement would be finalised in 3-4 months. The State Cabinet would clear the loan proposal seeking the Bank’s aid, he said.

During his first term as the chief minister he had ordered clearance of encroachment of Rajakaluve and construction of retaining walls. However, the work had not been completed and encroachment of Rajakaluve caused flooding of low-lying and other parts of the City, Mr Siddaramaiah said.

Under the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRM), tenders would be called for taking up lake development works worth ₹175 crore, ₹165 for repair of Bengaluru road, and ₹85 crore for the sluice canal work.

It was decided to bring in a new law to give more powers to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore Development Authority and Bengaluru Metropolitan Regional Development Authority for restricting illegal constructions in the city.

Published - October 26, 2024 08:14 pm IST