Metro northern corridor by Dec
11-km stretch to have 10 stations from Peenya to Sampige Road
The government has reiterated that Phase I of Namma Metro will be completed by December 2013 and the 11-km northern corridor with 10 stations from Peenya to Sampige Road will commence operations by December 2012.
Governor H R Bhardwaj announced this in his address to the joint legislature session on Monday. The 7.5-km stretch of the Metro, which was opened on October 20, has got tremendous response from the public. On an average, 30,000 people are using the Metro, he said.
Referring to the development projects in the City, Bhardwaj said the Palike had improved and asphalted 2,280 km of roads and another 35 km of roads had been concreted. In addition, 12 pedestrian underpasses were constructed and 656 parks were improved.
To ease the traffic, the 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 36-km stretch. The BDA has also initiated the process to construct 14,000 houses for the economically weaker sections.
The governor, who read out his speech, said that to retain and rejuvenate centuries old water bodies across the City, rejuvenation of 11 lakes had been completed and work on another 32 lakes was in the progress.
Bellary airport
The government, while mentioning the progress made on the construction of mini airports in various districts, was silent on the proposed airport in Bellary. There was no mention of the district at all.
Claiming that efforts were on to improve infrastructure facilities, the governor said expansion work in the Bengaluru International Airport would increase passenger handling capacity to 17.5 million per annum. On the other hand, minor airports in Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Hassan were being developed on a public-private partnership basis through private operators. Both the Gulbarga and Shimoga airports will be operational by July 2012.
During this year, 12 railway projects have already been taken up on a cost sharing basis. To encourage more PPP-based projects, nearly 12 departments will get separate transaction advisors before the end of this financial year.
Toll fund
The Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd has taken up improvement of 630 km of roads at an estimated cost of Rs 1,816 crore, through PPP, build-operate-transfer basis and with private co-financing.
The Corporation has also taken up 11 major bridge works at an estimated cost of Rs 253 crore.
Action is being taken to improve 1,191-km length of roads under the ‘Toll Collection Fund’, the governor said.
