Cabinet approves Rs 1,662-cr tenders for three STPs

They will come up in KC, Hebbal and Vrishabhavathi valleys

The state Cabinet on Wednesday approved tenders worth Rs 1,662 crore for setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Koramangala and Challaghatta, Hebbal and Vrishabhavathi valleys.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the Cabinet approved tenders to take up a Rs 472-crore project for treating sewage water from the Koramangala-Challaghatta (KC) valley. The treated water will be used for filling tanks in Kolar district. The STP for treating sewage water from Hebbal-Nagawara valley will cost Rs 534.31 crore for filling tanks in Chikkaballapur district.

Tenders for the third project costing Rs 656.96 crore for treating sewage water from Vrishabhavathi valley to fill tanks of Anekal taluk in Bengaluru Urban district were also approved by the Cabinet.

Jayachandra said the state government had called tenders thrice for setting up the STPs in the valleys. But the bids could not be finalised due to technical reasons. The STPs will help in treating 300 million litres per day of sewage.

BDA layout
In another decision, the Cabinet gave its approval for handing over 379.22 acres comprising tank bed, gomal and government lands that are located in Arkavathy and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda layouts to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

The land will be handed over with a condition that tank bed areas and lakes should not be used for developing sites. If required, the BDA can rope in private players to maintain the lakes, Jayachandra said.

The Cabinet also gave its approval for signing an agreement between the state Tourism department and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to promote tourism. Signboards and advertisements will be put up at Metro stations at a cost of Rs 37.38 crore, he said. The agreement is for a period of five years.

Land bank
The Cabinet decided to constitute a committee headed by the chief secretary to create a land bank for exchange of land with the Ministry of Defence for various infrastructure projects in Bengaluru.

Top officials from the Urban Development, Revenue and Forest departments, BMRCL, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), BDA besides Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner will be part of the panel.

The committee will offer land from the land bank to the Ministry of Defence in exchange for defence land required for any infrastructure project in Bengaluru, the minister said.