BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is spending `3.47 crore for sprucing up the city ahead of Invest Karnataka, the Global Investors’ Meet.
Most of the works, like developing footpaths and asphalting roads, are going on in and around Palace Grounds, the venue of the meet. The three-day meet is scheduled to be held from February 3.
On Wednesday, Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy, BBMP Commissioner G Kumar Naik and other officials inspected the works near Palace Grounds.
The mayor told Express that the state government had released the funds and directed the civic agency to take up the works.
“The major work is asphalting. Some of the roads around Palace Grounds were in a bad condition. We are asphalting them,” he added.
The civic agency is also sprucing up the foothpaths. “We have put kerb stones along the footpaths near Palace Grounds. Also, we are planting flower saplings along road medians in association with the horticulture department,” he said. He added that this was to impress the dignitaries who come to the meet. All these works are expected to be completed within three days.
However, Bengaluru Development Minister K J George denied that the works were taken up for the sake of the investors’ meet. “We are not developing roads, footpaths or drains just for the sake of Invest Karnataka. It is an ongoing process,” he clarified.
George hoped that the state attracts more projects and funds through the meet so that more employment can be generated.
He said they are expecting investments in amusement parks, convention centres, the `18,000-crore flyover project connecting highways project, peripheral ring roads and satellite township at Bidadi among others.
“If we do not get investors for these projects, we will make alternative arrangements,” he said.
