BENGALURU: BJP MLAs in the city have written to Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar, asking him to release a special grant of Rs 50 crore to each assembly constituency for fixing crumbling basic infrastructure, such as ward roads, side drains and others.
In the letter from Opposition Leader R Ashoka, signed by all the city BJP MLAs, they have stated that Bengaluru city is crumbling by the day and attracting the attention of foreign countries for the wrong reasons. The main roads and ward roads are dilapidated, causing great inconvenience to motorists and citizens, and have reached a state of disrepair. Bengaluru, famous as Silicon City, is a destination for information technology, and tourists from home and abroad come here every day.
Stressing that due to lack of basic infrastructure, many companies are moving to neighbouring states, the BJP MLAs urged the DCM to provide basic amenities, and appealed to him to release Rs 50 crore for each constituency.
Jayanagar MLA CK Ramamurthy said the fund of Rs 10 crore announced by the DCM earlier is not sufficient for even a single ward, hence city BJP MLAs have asked for an additional grant of Rs 50 crore for each assembly constituency. Echoing this, Mahalakshmi Layout MLA K Gopalaiah said the letter was submitted on Tuesday and the DCM has agreed on the matter.
BJP lawmakers in unison pressed the issue of disparity in treatment, compared to assembly segments in the release of funds. “Earlier, the DCM had released Rs 10 crore each to all assembly segments, however, Jayanagar constituency was not accommodated. After media reports, the DCM released the funds last week,” said Ramamurthy.
The MLAs say that in the absence of an elected Council, local issues remain unattended and are being escalated to MLAs. “The Congress government is not interested in holding elections to the BBMP as it fears a drubbing. It should at least give funds so that these issues of residents can be solved,” said a BJP lawmaker.