Connectivity infrastructure is essential for industrial development and agriculture, markets and services, leisure activities and tourism as well as quicker access to hospitals, schools and colleges. This involves development of roads, railways and airports. In the last two decades, the state government initiated several innovative projects for all three modes of connectivity.
However, the pace of their implementation has been very slow. The quality suffers and the cost increases. Here is a quick look at the major initiatives in all three modes of connectivity in the state and what more needs to be done.
Roads: Karnataka is home to about 29,000 villages and 281 towns and cities which need connectivity. Karnataka’s road length is 3,07,030 km (0.63 km of road/ sq km). Of this, 63% comprises village roads, many of which are not all-weather roads. In the 12 Western Ghat districts, village roads are not good and the problem of forest restrictions further adds to woes. To improve rural connectivity, there are three major schemes — Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (since 2000), Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (since 1996-97) and Chief Minister Gram Sadka Yojana.
While these schemes have helped a lot, there is a greater need to improve their quality and speed of implementation. In Hyderabad Karnataka, five of the six districts (Yadgir, Bidar, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Ballari) have road lengths far below the state average of 40 km/100 sq km.Vijayapura and Bagalkot also fare badly. But 11 of the 17 South Karnataka districts have a much longer and better road network. In spite of programmes under Article 371-J and Special Area Development Programmes (since 2007), regional disparity still exists.
Since 2015-16, there has been no great change in road length. Is it because of sheer lack of will or administeteative mismanagement? In 2015-16 and 2016-17, the Centre had approved upgradation of 3,800 km and 2,266 km respectively of state highways to NHs. Even after four years no notification has been issued. Is it because the Opposition was ruling the state during that period? Now that BJP in power, will Centre notify it?
Railways: Karnataka has a total of 3,281 km of railway network, which means for every 58 sq km there is only 1 km of railway line. We need four times more. Among the neighbouring states, we are the poorest in terms of railway network. Electrified railway line is also the shortest. In undivided Andhra Pradesh, the area-railway ratio was 50, in Tamil Nadu it is 32, Kerala 31 and Maharashtra 53. The British created good rail network in the Bengal, Madras and Bombay Presidencies. Further, powerful MPs from Bihar (6), West Bengal (4) and UP (4) became Railway Ministers and improved rail network in their respective states. Though 10 MPs from Karnataka have become Railway Ministers, their contribution in expanding rail network in the state is not noticeable on the ground. Gauge conversion happened during the tenure of C K Jaffer Sharief and George Fernandes, a Kannadiga though not elected from Karnataka, brought Konkan Railway. Feeling helpless, the state initiated a programme of creating new rail network in the state by funding 50% of the cost. Railways said those projects were not economically viable. Did the Railways give the same reason when railway ministers from Bengal and Bihar forced new projects in their states?
Six new projects, completed in Karnataka on cost-sharing basis after a huge delay, are still not problem-free. Second, six new lines were started five years back. Work on those lines is progressing at a snail’s pace. Karnataka needs an aggressive approach.
Airports: Karnataka has two international airports — Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Belagavi Air Force airport is upgraded for civil aviation. Smaller new airports at Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Hassan, Shivammogga and Ballari have been funded partly by the state. But except Belagavi and Hubballi, other airports are still not fully used. Developing Bidar and Karwar airports belonging to Air Force and Navy respectively is held up. Kerala, a much smaller state, has four international and nine airports ... then why not Karnataka?
(S M Jaamdar is a retired IAS officer)