BBMP budget looks to lift City with elevated roads

Four major elevated roads would come up in the City as the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) emphasised road infrastructure with an outlay of Rs 7,773.08 crore in the budget for 2014-15 that was tabled on Monday.

The four major infrastructure projects include the 1.25-km elevated road from Outer Ring Road at Ejipura to Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala at a cost of Rs 130 crore and a 2.2-km steel bridge from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle costing Rs 120 crore—both to be taken up under the Centre-sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Another elevated road will come up from Sirsi Circle to BHEL Circle on Mysore Road. The project will be executed by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) at a cost of Rs 300 crore. Out of its own funds, BBMP will construct another elevated road from Race Course Road to Railway under-bridge via Shivananda Circle.

BBMP Taxation and Finance Standing Committee Chairperson Dr M S Shivaprasad, who tabled the budget, told Deccan Herald that these proposals were pending before the state government and were approved recently.

On the Sirsi Circle project, he said the BBMP entrusted the work to NICE as it would benefit both the Palike and the private partner.

Presenting the budget at the jam-packed BBMP Council, Dr Shivaprasad said the estimated receipts would be Rs 7,779.51 crore. The other source of revenue would be tax receipt of Rs 2,661 crore, non-tax receipt of Rs 2,260 crore, government grants of Rs 1,833.27 crore and Rs 976.85 crore in non-tax income. Of the estimated expenditure of Rs 7,773.08 crore, Rs 2,466.10 crore would be revenue expenditure while Rs 5,306.98 crore would be the capital expenditure.

The Palike has also given emphasis on infrastructure such as roads and footpath. It also proposes to improve lakes, provide clean drinking water and ensure scientific disposal of waste, among others.

It proposes to implement various welfare, education and health schemes for economically and socially backward communities.

The Palike has also proposed to set up a green police force with the help of home guards to create awareness among public on environment and pollution, and to levy penalty on polluters.