Sky deck gets new location near Bengaluru's Kengeri: D K Shivakumar

Shivakumar said the earlier plan to construct the sky deck at Hemmigepura was dropped since such tall structures couldn't be constructed within 20 km radius of airport, and acquiring land in that area was a problem as it belonged to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE).

Bengaluru: After scouting multiple locations for the much-discussed sky deck project, the Karnataka government has finalised a site at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, near Kengeri, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar said on Saturday. 

Shivakumar said the earlier plan to construct the sky deck at Hemmigepura was dropped since such tall structures couldn't be constructed within 20-kilometre radius of airport, and acquiring land in that area was a problem as it belonged to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE).

"We have decided that it will come up on the land owned by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) at the Kempegowda Layout. The area is also expected to get metro connectivity in the future and hence I have asked the officials to go ahead," he said.

Senior BDA officials told DH that a 25-acre plot was identified within the layout. 

The 250-metre tall sky deck promises to offer a panoramic view of the city and attract tourists. 

Shops on footpaths to be vacated

Shivakumar also announced that shops on footpaths in the city would be cleared and street vending will be streamlined in a phased manner. Noting that the BBMP has completed a survey of street vendors, the deputy CM said the civic body would soon mark out vending zones.

"The law does not allow for shops on footpaths. The BBMP survey has identified 27,665 vendors and we are ready to give pushcarts to all the registered vendors. Vending zones will be marked and the vendors can sell their goods on pushcart in these marked zones and vacate them by evening when their business hours are over,” he said. 

He added that the decision to clear the footpaths of shops was final and the government will not heed to any pressure, even from political leaders. 

To decongest roads, Shivakumar also suggested that service roads be merged with main roads and left open to traffic, wherever metro construction work was in progress.

"To prevent traffic snarls, I have suggested that the service roads be merged. I have discussed this with the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP). They will come with an action plan soon."

He added that the BTP personnel have also been directed to clear all abandoned vehicles from the city roads. The government, he said, will identify a large area of land where these vehicles can be dumped.

"The officials will also mark 'No Parking' zones," he added. 

GBA to be operational by Sep 15 The government will complete the process of splitting the BBMP into corporations and setting up the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) by September 15 Shivakumar said. The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act came into force on May 15 and the Act mandates the formation of GBA within 120 days. 

Shivakumar however did not reveal how many corporations would come up. "We will discuss the issue with all the ministers from Bengaluru and the opposition leaders and come to a decision" he said.