Poll-bound, govt in 'launch' mode

Even yet-to-be-completed projects are scheduled for inauguration

 With barely a few weeks left for the crucial elections to the Legislative Assembly, the BJP government has embarked upon an ‘inauguration campaign”: from cutting the ribbons for the new police commissioner’s office to inauguration of much-delayed infrastructure projects.

Over the next four days, the State government and the BJP-controlled Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have listed for inauguration four projects which have been completed after inordinate delays or are still on the verge of completion. It is stated that the government is also planning to lay the foundation stone for other projects proposed in the budget  2013-14.

One of the projects which is scheduled for launch is the pedestrian underpass at the City Market, which had turned into an eyesore. Started in early 2006, several delays hit the project, leaving the vicinity in a mess.

However, after much public outcry, the Palike was finally  completed the project recently. Since then, its inauguration was stalled on four occasions. It is learnt that Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has agreed to inaugurate the underpass on March 13. The project was completed at a cost of Rs six crore. The subway will link NR Road, Avenue Road, KR road and Kalasipalyam Main Road.

That apart, on the same day the chief minister is scheduled to inaugurate the long-pending bridge over the stormwater drain near the Gali Anjaneya Temple on Mysore road, the work on which was also taken up in 2006. The Rs 18.30-crore-project to connect West of Chord Road with Mysore Road was awarded to the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) Limited.

While the flyover was originally scheduled for completion in February 2008, a technical flaw saw the project being abandoned for nearly three years after reaching its final stage. The BBMP finally completed the project earlier this year.

Sources in BBMP indicated that the BJP is likely to use the inauguration of the works as a platform to showcase its ‘contributions’ to the development of the City.
The BBMP has also planned the inauguration of the Dorekere lake, which has been rejuvenated at a cost of Rs 6.28 crore, on March 13. The total extent of the lake is placed at 29 acres 3.6 guntas. The ‘refurbished’ Malleswaram grounds too would be dedicated to the public by Shettar on Sunday.