PWD to seek JICA funding for road projects in State

Minister for Public Works Department H C Mahadevappa will be leaving for Japan on June 21 to hold a meeting with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on funding road projects in the State, including the peripheral ring road of the Bangalore Development Authority.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the minister said that JICA had agreed in principle to extend loan for implementing the proposed peripheral road on the outskirts of Bengaluru and construct a tunnel road at Shiradi ghat. Talks will be held with JICA representatives to finalise the funding for these projects, he added.

The PWD has drawn a plan to upgrade almost the entire stretch of State Highways by 2017. The department has recently removed all road humps on Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. Road humps in other parts of the State will also be removed in a phased manner. They will be laid as per the specifications of Indian Road Congress, he added.

Centre not keen

The Centre is not keen on the State government proposal to construct a tunnel on Mysuru-Udhagamandalam road to pave the way for expansion of Mysuru airport. Mysuru will emerge as a major tourist destination if the airport is expanded to operate international flights, he added.

The minister said that the PWD would soon take up construction of incomplete Kalaburagi greenfield airport project. About 80 per cent of the work had is already been completed. The PWD will finish the remaining work in a year's time.

The State Cabinet recently approved a proposal to entrust the responsibility of completing the project to the PWD. Work on the project has remained suspended for the last three years.