The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : We are committed to developing infrastructure: Kumaraswamy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 13, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

We are committed to developing infrastructure: Kumaraswamy

Staff Reporter

We have had foreign investment because of IT firms, says Chief Minister

FOR A BETTER CITY: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (left), Health Minister and Urban Development in-charge R. Ashok, BDA Commissioner M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda, and MLA S. Raghu at the inauguration of Airport Road Flyover in Bangalore on Wednesday. & #151; Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Bangalore's infrastructure is poor because previous governments did not do much to improve it, said the Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy.

He said the previous governments had not anticipated the pace at which the city would grow and therefore did not plan accordingly. However, Mr. Kumaraswamy said his Government was committed to develop infrastructure keeping in mind the growth of the city over the next few years.

"We have had foreign investment in the city because of our information technology (IT) firms. To keep it coming, we must improve our infrastructure," he said.

Inaugurating the Airport Road Flyover, developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), he said had directed civic agencies, including Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, BDA and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company, to address people's grievances quickly.

Noting that the delay in inauguration of the flyover due to litigation had caused hardship to people, he said he had asked all civic agencies to ensure that they stuck to deadlines. The inauguration of the Airport Road Flyover was delayed by more than two years due to problems with the contractor — Uttar Pradesh State Bridges Corporation. The four loops of the flyover were yet to be completed. They would be finished only by September, he said.

Singapore-style housing

To address the needs of housing for the poor, Mr. Kumaraswamy said his Government was planning to follow the Singapore Government model of building high-rises. The Chief Minister said the idea had come upon him after his recent trip to Singapore.

More flyovers

Former Minister A. Krishnappa urged the Government to construct a flyover between Hebbal and Thanisandra and Kalkere and Banaswadi to reduce traffic congestion in these areas. He also requested the Government to build an overbridge in Belandur. "The Congress Government had held discussions with the Railways in this regard," he said.

Traffic jam

Shortly after the flyover was inaugurated there was a traffic jam on the Indira Nagar side of the flyover. This was partly caused by the fact that most cars had to wait almost an hour till the inauguration was completed to use the road and also by the fact that the junction where the flyover meets the main road is narrow.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka