The state is all set to unveil a new infrastructure policy that seeks to decongest Bangalore and promote Tier 2 cities such as Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Mangalore, Belgaum, Kolar and Tumkur.Infrastructure Minister Roshan Baig told reporters on Thursday, “We will unveil the policy in two months, and it will enable the government to attract investments in the infrastructure sector.”
The policy, to be formulated in consultation with trade and industry bodies, will help set up high-speed rail corridors between Bangalore and Mangalore, Mysore, Belgaum, Hubli, Tumkur and Kolar. Road connectivity will also be upgraded, he said.
An international convention centre will be set up near the Kempe Gowda International Airport at a cost of Rs 500 crore. An Australian firm has shown interest in taking up the project, he announced.
Baig also disclosed plans to develop a sports city and entertainment hub on 419 acres adjacent to the Bangalore airport. The film city project coming up on 300 acres at Hesaraghatta would be expedited, he said.
Mysore Airport
The government plans to expand the Mysore airport by acquiring 84 acres, keeping in mind the heritage city’s tourism potential.
The government has asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to realign the existing Mysore-Nanjangud road adjacent to the airport to enable the government to acquire the land. The Airport Authority of India, which has already allocated the funds for expansion, has made it clear it would not take up the work until the Mysore-Nanjangud road was realigned.
Talks with GMR
Replying to a question on Bidar, Baig said he would visit Delhi on April 29 to hold talks with the GMR Group and request them to withdraw their objection to the operation of civil flights from the Bidar airport.
Gulbarga Airport
As for the progress on Gulbarga airport, he said it would become operational soon as the differences among the partners of the joint venture company—Regional Airport Holdings International (Rahi) and IL&FS — had been sorted out. IL&FS has agreed to complete the project, he said.
Baig Promises Clean Public Toilets for Bangalore
Bangalore: The unbearable stench and filth in public toilets in the city could be a thing of the past if Minister for Infrastructure Development, Roshan Baig, walks the talk on his plans to build new public toilets.
Baig admitted the inconvenience being faced by people, especially women, due to inadequate public toilets and poor maintenance of available public toilets in Bangalore.
There are only 504 public toilets in the city, and they are unevenly distributed. The BBMP maintains most of them and in many cases maintenance has been handed over to contractors, he said. Baig said the city’s population has touched nearly one crore, but there were not enough toilets. Based on the Delhi model, efforts would be made to construct toilets in different parts of the city under the public private partnership basis. These toilets will have good hygiene but there will be a nominal user fee.
The minister was displeased at the poor condition and maintenance of toilets in the Vidhana Soudha and the Vikasa Soudha. “I have written to Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee to take immediate steps to repair the public toilets in the two buildings.