Bengaluru, Oct 27 Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday outlined a slew of infrastructure projects planned to ease Bengaluru’s traffic congestion amid a surge in population and vehicle numbers.
He said the state government was committed to upgrading Bengaluru’s infrastructure and had accorded high priority to the city’s development.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Bengaluru legislators, including members of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, at his official residence, Krishna, on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by his office, Shivakumar said Bengaluru’s population and vehicle numbers were growing faster than those of other major Indian cities, while its road capacity remained inadequate.
The government had therefore prioritised road construction, the statement said.
Several major road projects are under way to ease traffic congestion, including a 40-km two-lane tunnel corridor, a 120-km elevated corridor and the upgrading of 1,500 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads, it said.
Work has begun on a two-km short tunnel at Hebbal, the statement said. The 16.5-km North-South corridor is estimated to cost Rs 17,780 crore, of which the state government will contribute Rs 7,000 crore.
The 21-km East-West corridor will have two entry points, it added.
A 120-km elevated corridor has also been planned under National Highway standards at an estimated cost of Rs 23,165 crore. It has been divided into four categories, with corridors shorter than 10 km to be toll-free, the statement said.
Around 500 km of new road connections have also been planned, including 300 km of buffer roads along stormwater channels and 68 km of business corridor development.
The 17-km Outer Ring Road will be redeveloped, while an 18-km white-topping project on the city’s outskirts will begin soon, it said.
The state government has proposed a 37-km double-decker road within the Outer Ring Road area, but the Centre has so far approved only 11 km, Shivakumar told the legislators.
He assured them that funds had been allocated without discrimination and that adequate resources had been provided to every Assembly constituency in Bengaluru.
If MLAs submitted proposals for urgent works in their constituencies, the government would act promptly to release funds, he said.
Shivakumar said the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) were making substantial investments in the city’s infrastructure.
The government had prepared a 10-year development plan ahead of Bengaluru’s 500th anniversary in 2037. The new projects would require an investment of about Rs 1 lakh crore, he said.
The government aimed to expand the Metro network from its current 96 km to 170 km by 2027, he told the meeting.
Bengaluru currently has 7,000 buses, with plans to add another 4,500, he said.
Work on the suburban rail network was under way, with a target of providing 150 km of connectivity by 2030. The Cauvery Stage-6 project would also be taken up to supply additional water to the city, he said.
At least 65 gram panchayats outside the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits had already become urbanised. The government planned to upgrade them to urban local bodies to ease pressure on the city, Shivakumar said.
Drinking water and sewerage systems would be provided in these areas in phases, while proposals for road upgrades were being prepared, he assured the legislators.
The new garbage contracts would provide for the collection of up to 9,000 tonnes of waste, based on vehicle capacity. GPS tracking would be mandatory for all waste collection vehicles, he said, warning that strict action would be taken against contractors who failed to perform their duties.
(PTI News)
