Palike gets Rs 1,100 cr, BDA left in the lurch

The civic agencies in the City aren’t impressed with the budgetary allocations for 2012-13.

While the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has gained a few crores of rupees, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has nothing to cheer about.
Although the Palike has been allocated Rs 1,100 crore, officials are sceptical about the actual realisation of the figures.

Sources in the Palike said even in 2011-12, the State government had promised
Rs 1,800 crore for the ongoing projects.

But in the end, persistent pressure from the then Commissioner Siddaiah yielded only Rs 300 crore.

Embroiled in political and administrative chaos, the Palike has been entrusted with a series of projects that the State government ‘believes’ will help the citizens of Bangalore.

The chief minister, in his budget speech, hoped that the local civic bodies will generate their own revenues to supplement the growth of the State. It is to be seen whether the debt-ridden Palike, spending a major part of its revenue for debt servicing will be able to deliver.

Interestingly, M K Shankaralinge Gowda,  Palike Commissioner, claimed that a sum of Rs 2,000 crore had been allotted to the BBMP in the present year’s budget.

“We are happy that the government has considered the projects proposed and allocated nearly Rs 2,000 crore. It is quite a substantial amount,” he said.

On its part, the BDA failed to convince the chief minister to allot funds for its projects. According to sources, the Authority had sought Rs 300 crore for its greenery projects. However, the government asked the BDA to generate its own revenue to meet its expenditures, said the source.

The BDA had also requested the State government to provide surety to borrow funds for the Peripheral Ring Road project. This appears to have been agreed upon, in principle, said a BDA official.

Rs 1,000 cr for BWSSB

The State government has allotted Rs 1,000 crore to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board in the budget, against the previous year’s allotment of Rs 1,150 crore.

According to a Board official, the fund will include grants from the Central government schemes including the JnNURM. 

Out of the last year’s grant, the Board was able to utilise only Rs 750 crore, mainly for  the Cauvery IV Stage II phase project, which is expected to supply 500 million litres of water per day by September 2012.

This year’s allocation will be spent on replacement of pipelines to reduce water leakages, laying of underground drain in the newly-added seven city municipalities and construction of sewage treatment plants.

Projects

*Five signal-free corridors with a total length of 51.5 kilometres at a cost of Rs 426 crore: Dr Rajkumar Road - Govt Soap Factory to Okalipuram; Outer Ring Road - from  Mysore Road to Central Silk Board junction; Mekhri Circle to Hope Farm; Old Airport Road - Vellara Junction to Kundanahalli junction; Hosur-Lashkar Road - Forum Mall Junction to Velgar Junction

* Rs 200 crore for 27 concrete roads running up to a length of 42 km under Tendersure design norms (Brigade Road, Church Street, Cunningham Road, Residency Road, Richmond Road, Victoria Road, St Mark’s Road, Lalbagh Road, JC Road, Infantry Road, Kasturba Road, KH Road, etc.)

* Rs 200 crore for construction of eight parking complexes

* Rs 200 crore for solid waste management infrastructure

* Rs 50 crore for restoration and rejuvenation of lakes