BANGALORE : The state government has decided to release `1,000 crore to improve Bangalore’s road network and take up development works, said Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday.
He told reporters that of the total, `700 crore will be utilised to repair, upgrade and widen the Silicon City’s roads and the remaining will be used for construction of community toilets, protection of tanks and beautification of public places.
Reddy said the proposal has been sent to the Finance Department for its concurrence and tenders for the same will be floated soon.
271 CNG Buses
The minister said the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will soon procure 271 CNG-powered buses. He said the Centre will bear 35 per cent of the total cost, state government 50 per cent and BMTC the rest.
Reddy said due to several reasons, the cancellation rate of bus services in BMTC is about 10 per cent, but efforts are being made to bring it down to 5 per cent.
He said there is a proposal before the corporation to procure hybrid buses (powered by diesel and electricity) and each vehicle is expected to cost anywhere between `2.5 crore and `3 crore.
He said the state government shifted the KSRTC bus station from Majestic to the city’s outskirts to ease traffic within the city.