Toll road project to begin soon

Work has been divided into 52 packages, and technical bids will open on June 6

The technical bid for tendering the project will be opened on June 6. The project has been divided into 52 packages.

The Government has made it mandatory for contractors to build service roads along the proposed toll roads, and toll will not be collected for using the service road.

Local villagers along the toll road are allowed to use the service road, PWD Minister C M Udasi told reporters on Wednesday.

The Minister said the existing four-lane Bangalore-Mysore highway will be converted into six-lane road under the project. Reliance Infrastructure is one of the bidders, he added.

The Government is undertaking the project under the Public Private Partnership model. The private partner, who will bear the entire cost of road development, will be allowed to collect stipulated toll from road users for a fixed number of years.

KAT order

Udasi said the Public Works Department will consult the law department before taking any step with regard to the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) order quashing the appointment of 1,400 junior and assistant engineers in PWD and Panchayat Raj department. A division bench of the KAT had ruled that the appointments were in violation of Karnataka SC/ST rules.

He said the Government will try to protect the interest of the engineers, but at the same time will abide by the law.

“Whether to go for an appeal against the order or to explore other options will be decided after consulting the law department,” he added.

The PWD Minister claimed that the department has performed impressively with regard to implementing projects related to construction of roads and bridges under various schemes in the last one year.

Of the 13,067 road projects taken up by the PWD, 356 have been completed, 1,011 are under progress and Rs 586 crore has been spent so far. Of 1,235 building construction projects, 309 have been completed, 926 are under progress and Rs 454 crore has been spent.

Under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, the department has completed 1,465 road projects spending Rs 281 crore.

Under the 12th Finance Commission grants, 6,617 kms of road has been laid spending Rs 146.49 crore.

“Under the National Highway improvement plan, 142 projects were approved. Of these, 100 projects covering 7,847 kms of road have been completed spending Rs 215 crore,” he said.

‘Too old to handle two districts’

Udasi, who is also in-charge minister for Haveri and Raichur districts, has asked Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to relieve him from the responsibility of being in-charge minister for Raichur. “I am too old to take care of two districts. My age is not permitting me take the pressure. So, I have asked the CM to relieve me from the responsibility of Raichur. I will continue being in-charge minister for Haveri,” the 72-year old Minister stated.