Drive to clear encroachment of lakes soon: Minister

A drive to clear encroachment of lakes and rajakaluve (natural canals) in Bangalore will be taken up soon, Transport Minister R Ramalinga Reddy, also the Bangalore (Urban) District in-charge Minister, said on Friday.

Reddy told reporters that a survey conducted by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had revealed that of the total network of 650 km of rajakaluve in Bangalore, there has been partial or full encroachment along 250 km. 

The anti-encroachment drive will get them cleared, the minister said.

The survey also revealed that 1,848 acres of lakebed space in Bangalore had been encroached upon. As much as 677 acres had been recovered as per the direction of the courts and the Lokayukta. The remaining encroached land would be cleared soon. As many 3,368 structures had come up on the encroached area, he added.Meeting on Tuesday

A meeting of representatives of various departments would he held in Bangalore on August 5 to decide on the timings and modalities of the anti-encroachment drive, he said.

Reddy said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had issued directions that all illegal advertisement hoardings in the BBMP limit should be removed and legal action initiated against the violators. According to an estimate, he said, there were more than 700 illegal advertisement hoardings in Bangalore.

Road improvement

Reddy said road improvement works in Bangalore under the Chief Minister’s Nagarothana scheme will be taken up at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore. 

Of this, Rs 567 crore would be utilised for 32 fresh works, Rs 237 crore for spillover works, Rs 30 crore for pothole filling, among others. Rs 15 crore had been earmarked for road and infrastructure works in Peenya Industrial Area and Rs 169 crore for 28 infrastructure works.

Transport

Replying to queries, Reddy said the Volvo services of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation has registered a profit after making losses for many years.He said there were around one lakh high-end cars with registration of other states, but running in Bangalore. A drive had been launched wherein as many as 150 cars seized and Rs 20 crore penalty imposed.

Reddy said the transport department was working with just 52 per cent of the staff and shotage of manpower was one of the main reasons for the department not taking action against private buses illegally operating along the state routes.