Karnataka Budget stresses on urban infrastructure

Karnataka Budget for 2006-07 presented by deputy chief minister and finance minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday gives a strong emphasis on creating and developing urban infrastructure.

As the cities of Bangalore and Mysore qualify for assistance under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the government plans to prepare a development strategy and prioritise the projects to be taken up under it.

The government plans to spend Rs 682 crore for infrastructure services in urban areas and a sum of Rs 48 crore for providing basic services to the urban poor.

The state government plans to develop Ramanagara town as a satellite town of Bangalore, augment water supply to CMCs through the Cauvery fourth stage (phase II) at a cost of Rs 3,384 crore, create Bangalore Metropolitan Parking Authority to tackle the vehicle parking woes in Bangalore.

"The Bangalore metro project was cleared at a meeting of the public investment board on August 5, 2005. Clearance from Union cabinet committee for economic affairs is awaited," said Yediyurappa.

Construction of the Bangalore International Airport was progressing smoothly and state support of Rs 128.85 crore was being fully provided, he added.

With the object of reducing the pressure on Bangalore city, the government plans to take up the comprehensive development of the Ramanagara town, a satellite town of Bangalore, through a comprehensive development programme for the next four years.

Similarly, the towns of Shikaripura of Shimoga district and Jewargi of Gulbarga district will also be taken up for development.

Bangalore Development Authority is taking necessary steps to distribute 20,000 sites in the Arkavati layout. A second ring road (peripheral) around the city has also been planned, said Yediyurappa.

A ring road around Mysore city is being developed by the Mysore Urban Development Authority at an estimated Rs 50 crore with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Similar ring road is also planned for the Gulbarga city through Karnataka Road Development Corporation. A survey work will also be taken up for a ring road for Hassan town.

Expansion of Mangalore airport and upgradation of the Hubli airport is in progress. The government was providing Rs 25 crore for development of minor airports, said Yediyurappa.

Adding that the Budget support for airport infrastructure projects in 2006-07 was Rs 212.37 crore and this was 39.19 per cent higher in comparison to Rs 152.28 crore provided last year.

Rs 350 cr to ease traffic

To ease traffic congestion in Bangalore city, which is a major concern for the government, an ambitious project called 'B-TRAC 2010' is to be taken up.

The total cost of the project is Rs 350 crore and will begin this year and it will be on till 2010-11. A sum of Rs 44 crore has been set aside for financial year 2006-07.

The traffic project aims at a significant reduction in traffic congestion by adopting the most modern technologies and strategies like intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Modernisation of traffic police and enforcement automation.

A sum of Rs 30 crore has been provided for construction of railway over bridges and under bridges in the state and for commuter rail services in Bangalore, the government has earmarked Rs 10 crore.

The state government is also determined to complete the Bangalore-Mysore doubling of railway track.

"So far the funds had been provided for the second track from Bangalore to Ramnagara. In 2006-07, I propose to allocate Rs 25 crore for doubling of the track from Ramanagar to Mysore," said Yediyurappa.

For Hassan-Mangalore gauge conversion an amount of Rs 15 crore has been provided. Thus the allocation to railway projects in 2006-07 is Rs 95 crore and is 111 per cent more than the allocation in 2005-06, which was Rs 45 crore, he added.