BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said the government has decided to take up permanent projects with a long-term vision for the development of Bengaluru. Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee stadium in HSR Layout under Bommanahalli constituency, he said: “Bengaluru is an international city and should be taken to international standards. Bengaluru has also grown and its population is equivalent to Mumbai’s. While Mumbai is growing vertically, Bengaluru is still growing horizontally.”
Around Rs 6,000 crore has been sanctioned for the development of the city under the Nagarothana project, he said, and asserted that the government is committed to an all-round development of the city. Many projects which are held up due to legal hurdles will be resolved soon, he said.
Regarding mitigation of the city’s water crisis, Bommai said that Cauvery fourth stage project is reaching completion and about 800 MLD of water is being utilised. In the fifth stage, about 770 MLD would be provided. “Consultations are on with the engineers to get an additional 250 MLD. We would be able to meet the water requirement fully if these works are completed. With this, Bengaluru’s drinking water problem will also be resolved,” the CM said.
Orders have been issued to prepare a detailed project report to resolve the water issue, extension of underground and storm water drains. Observing that some layouts in the city are going hi-tech, the CM said that some layouts have been developed with good planning, and HSR Layout is one of them.
“Such layouts would be given hi-tech touch with easy access to civic services. We want to make HSR layout a Smart Layout. Other layouts will be selected for similar development for which people will be involved,” Bommai said. The Vajpayee stadium has a basketball court, kabaddi ground and other facilities. It will be turned into a stadium at a cost of Rs 40 crore, he added.