Gulbarga, Shimoga airports to be operational by July
Minor airports at Gulbarga and Shimoga would be operational by July, and the 11 km northern corridor of Bangalore Metro by year-end, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj said today.
Delivering his address to the joint session of the state Legislature, he said minor airports at Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Hassan are being developed on public-private-partnership basis.
He said the Namma Metro's northern corridor of 11 km with ten stations, from Peenya to Sampige Road, is scheduled to commence its operations by December 2012 and the entire Phase-I is expected to be completed by December next year.
"Expansion work in the Bangalore International Airport will increase passenger handling capacity to 17.5 millions per annum", the Governor said.
To ease the traffic, Bangalore Development Authority has taken up construction of grade separators at 12 junctions in the outer ring road from Central Silk Board to Hebbal flyover and up to Tumkur Road junction to create a signal-free corridor for a stretch of about 36 kms.
During this year, 12 railway projects have already been taken up on a cost sharing basis and, to encourage more public-private-partnership based projects, 12 departments would get separate transaction advisors before March-end.
Bhardwaj said a centre for excellence under Integrated Water Resources Management scheme would be established by reorganising and revamping other existing institutions.
"This centre for excellence will help in formulating IWRM principles, which will benefit the farmers of the State", he said.
For the first time in the country, on a pilot basis, in five cities, Urban Property Ownership Records on a 'GIS' platform are being created, the Governor said.
"This would enable the property owners to have authentic records of their properties with geo reference. In a phased manner, this will be extended to all towns, including Bangalore city", Bhardwaj said.
Criticising the Centre,the Governor said:"It's unfortunate that new projects for power generation have not fructified due to inordinate delays in environmental clearance and allotment of coal linkages".
"However, my Government has, from time to time, been purchasing as much power as possible to meet the increasing demand", he added.
Noting that recently, the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act, 2011, has been enacted and rules are being framed, Bhardwaj said the legislation would empower the citizens through a "Right" based approach and enable transparency in administration and curb corruption and reduce public grievances.
During Phase-I, 152 services of 11 departments have been notified for this purpose.
"On March 1, 2012, the pilot would be launched in four taluks (one per revenue division) and one revenue office in Bruhath Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (city corporation) area", he said.
