The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Lack of political will impeding infrastructure development’

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Wednesday, Sep 10, 2008
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‘Lack of political will impeding infrastructure development’

Staff Reporter

Bangalore will have world-class facilties in four years: Chief Minister

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

mark of tribute: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa handing over BDA site documents to the wives of the late Col. J. Thomas and the late Col. Vasanth Venugopal in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: “Residents of Bangalore will revolt against politicians if they fail to improve infrastructure in the city,” Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said here on Tuesday. He stressed the immediate need to provide world-class facilities in the State capital.

He was speaking after the inauguration of projects and laying of foundation stone for development works, at a function held to mark the Bharatiya Janata Party Government’s completion of 100 days in office.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that lack of political will among leaders of all political parties had spoilt the image of Bangalore.

City’s image

Stating that the Government would focus on changing the image of the city, the Chief Minister said that efforts would be made to provide world-class infrastructure in three to four years.

R. Roshan Baig, Shivajinagar MLA, who presided over the function, urged the Chief Minister to crack down on the “contractor mafia” that was ruling the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Mr. Yeddyurappa inaugurated five projects, laid foundation stones for six and handed over cheques to civic agencies for taking up work on roads and drains, and providing water supply facilities. Mr. Yeddyurappa also handed over documents of sites allotted by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to the family members of the late Col. Vasanth Venugopal and the late Col J. Thomas who were killed in encounters with militants in Kashmir recently.

The railway overbridges near Mathikere and Frazer Town police station, the Rajkumar memorial glass house on BBMP head office premises, and buildings for BBMP’s nine contact points for citizens were inaugurated.

Relocation

The Mathikere railway overbridge was closed soon after the inauguration as the BBMP is yet to demolish some shops and houses that are obstructing the approach road to the bridge.

The process of relocating those occupying these buildings is under way.

The Chief Minister laid foundation stones for work on development of Richards Park, William Town; Bore Bank Road Park; 407 SFS Park, Yelahanka New Town; Om Nature Park, Yelahanka 2nd division; and 208 SFS Park, Yelahanka New Town; upgrading of Vrishabhavathi valley from Magadi Road to Mysore Road (at a cost of Rs. 80 crore); renovation of a major storm water drain at Hebbal (Rs. 16.88 crore); construction of bridge on Hennur Road across Hebbal canal (Rs. 4 crore); renovation of storm water drain from Begur lake to Bangalore-Hosur Road on NH-7 (Rs. 19 crore); widening and development of 4.3 km of Hosur Laskar Road from Yanke Factory Circle to Richmond Road’s Shoolay Circle (Rs. 14.66 crore) and construction of residential complexes in five slums under basic services to the urban poor scheme (Rs 7.44 crore).

Road development

On the occasion, the Bangalore Development Authority came out with a list of 1,554 roads in the areas newly added to the BBMP that will be developed at a cost of Rs. 623 crore according to the announcement made in the State Budget.

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