The Hindu 27.07.2009
Larger aim of JNNURM remains a distant dream
Nagesh Prabhu
BANGALORE: Redesigning, protests, delay in land acquisition, poor response from contractors, and re-tendering have delayed work on 17 infrastructure projects sanctioned for Bangalore and Mysore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
In a way the State has failed to reap the benefits accruing to it under the JNNURM in which the Centre bears 35 per cent of the cost for a metropolitan city such as Bangalore and 80 per cent of the cost for a two-tier city like Mysore. The larger aim of the JNNURM of converting Bangalore and Mysore into world-class cities has thus remained a distant dream.
With 17 projects proving to be non-starters, the State is yet to utilise Rs. 192.67 crore released by the Centre for these projects.
Of the 58 projects approved, only five have been completed. The poor response to tenders for several mega projects is the major reason for delay in the commencement of work, according to sources in the Chief Minister’s office.
The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 677.04 crore since 2006-07 for 58 projects in both cities — 47 projects for Bangalore at a cost of Rs. 3612.94 crore, and 11 projects for Mysore at a cost of Rs. 1012.40 crore.
Only four projects have been completed in Bangalore. They are construction of an underpass at Malleswaram Circle (Rs. 12.45 crore), construction of a grade separator at Yeshwanthpur junction (Rs. 21.57 crore), augmentation of drinking water scheme for seven erstwhile municipal councils, and construction of an underpass at Magadi Road-Chord Road junction (Rs. 27.82 crore).
Work on 13 projects in Bangalore has not commenced for various reasons. Construction of an underpass at Ring Road-Nagavara Road junction (Rs. 21.62 crore) has not been taken up because the project has to be redesigned on account of high water table in the area. Work on the underpass at Ring Road-C.N. Rao Circle junction (Rs. 22.60 crore) has been delayed owing to hurdles in land acquisition and permission for tree felling.
