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Urban Infrastructure

Rs 1,919 cr sought for civic surgery

Wednesday, 21 August 2013 09:09 administrator
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Deccan Herald              21.08.2013

Rs 1,919 cr sought for civic surgery

The City may go undergo a major infrastructure surgery as the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has sought Rs 1,919.06 crore from the Centre for some of its ambitious projects.

According to sources in the BBMP, the Palike has sought funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) for an elevated road from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle and an elevated corridor near Kendriya Sadan along 100 ft Inner Ring Road, Koramangala.

The two projects alone would cost Rs 302.08 crore. In addition, a signal free eight-lane corridor with loops, underpasses and road underbridges between Okalipuram junction and Fountain Circle also figures in the BBMP’s wish list for Central aid.

Palike sources said the elevated road from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle will ease traffic bottleneck at the former place, all along J C Road up to Town Hall and KG Road. Its estimated cost is Rs 129.01 crore. Mooted by the then BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena in 2009-10, the proposal had been pending ever since.

May become a reality

Meena had even wished to extend it up to the MG Road near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium boulevard. As the BDA Commissioner, he again tried to push the project but nothing much has happened on the ground so far. If the Centre okays it, the project would become a reality.

The estimated cost of the elevated corridor integrating Ejipura Main Road-Inner Ring Road Junction, Sony World Junction and Kendriya Sadan Junction along the 100 ft Inner Ring Road, Koramangala, is Rs 173.07 crore.

Other projects are a skywalk near Mysore Bank Circle on KG Road and a skywalk and pedestrian foot overbridge with escalators and lifts at Hudson Circle. The BBMP has also sought Rs 100 crore for upgrading 148 junctions to reduce road accidents and smoothen traffic in the City.

After the State government cleared the proposals, the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Financial Corporation Limited sent them to the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

To ensure the funds’ release, a team of senior officers from the BBMP and the government would hold a meeting with top bureaucrats in the Ministry of Urban Development in New Delhi.

A senior Palike officer believed that the Centre would approve these proposals in two months. “If the Centre okays the projects, we can start work early next year,” the officer added.
 

Mega project to divert sewage from SWDs

Wednesday, 21 August 2013 09:07 administrator
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Deccan Herald              21.08.2013

Mega project to divert sewage from SWDs

 The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has drawn up an ambitious action plan to divert sewage flowing into the major and minor stormwater drains (SWDs). The Palike has sought a Central aid of Rs 2,604.39 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) for the purpose.

The project is related to the five zones of Mahadevapura, Dasarahalli, Yelahanka, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bommanahalli. In the first phase, BBMP has sought Rs 1,328.28 crore to improve SWDs in Mahadevapura, Dasarahalli and Yehahanka zones. In the second phase, the Palike will seek Rs 1,276.11 crore for Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bommanahalli zones.

If the Palike succeeds in getting the aid and executes its plan, it will breath life into at least 150 water bodies in the newly added areas comprising 110 villages, five City Municipal Councils and one Town Municipal Council.

Sewage has been a bane for Bangalore’s lakes. It is not only polluting the water bodies, but also shrinking their extent due to the silt deposits and weeds. Gradually, the water storage capacity of the lakes reduces and they become level fields. This way, the water bodies disappear and illegal settlements come up on them.

Most of the sewage is let out by the apartments into the SWDs. There are instances when builders and developers encroached upon SWDs and aided other landgrabbers to encroach the SWDs and water bodies linked to them. This way, many water bodies and SWDs were lost.

The fund will also be utilised for flood mitigation to improve the environmental conditions around the water bodies. As per the plan, the Palike intends to set up mini automated floodgates in the lakes with a prompt alert system that gives a warning signal to people living downstream to vacate in the event of flooding.

A senior Palike officer said, “SWDs are meant only for rainwater to flow. But presently, sewage is flowing in them. If we succeed in our plan, rainwater will feed our water bodies.”
 

Town Halls to be rebuilt at Rs 1.5 cr

Wednesday, 21 August 2013 08:51 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle              21.08.2013

Town Halls to be rebuilt at Rs 1.5 cr

The Ernakulam Town Hall, which, along with Mattancherry Town Hall, is set to be renovated —DC
The Ernakulam Town Hall, which, along with Mattancherry Town Hall, is set to be renovated —DC

Kochi: The city corporation is planning to give a new look to the Ernakulam town hall, one of the major landmarks in the city. Using the Plan funds, the Mattancherry townhall will also be modernised.

The renovation has been included under the Plan funds as a multiyear project in 2012 – 2013 and 2013- 2014. A total of `1.5 cr has been allocated for the renovation, `75 lakhs each for Ernakulam and Mattancherry townhalls.

The corporation’s earlier plans to renovate the townhalls could not materialise due to paucity of funds. Though the corporation was expecting funds from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for handing over eight cents of land to it for metro rail works, it could not materialise as the civic body is not in possession of ownership documents.

“We’ve already shortlisted two or three designs for the renovation and the final design will be decided based on the funds available. The Ernakulam town hall is in a dilapidated condition and badly needs repairing,” said Soumini Jain, works committee chairperson.

The building which hosted several historical events was opened in 1960 and the new EMS Memorial Hall, attached to it was opened in 2001.

“Though there are plans to give a new look to the Ernakulam townhall building, no major change will be made to the structure as it has heritage value and historical importance,” she said.

Meanwhile, a section of civic experts are apprehensive over the viability of using the town hall after renovation as the metro construction works might create access and parking problems.

 
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