BENGALURU: To resurrect a badly flood-hit and pothole-ridden image of Bengaluru, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai allocated close to Rs 10,000 crore for the IT city’s development. This is an increase of Rs 1,289 crore from the previous budget. The allocation for the city’s development is Rs 9,698 crore as against Rs 8,409 crore last year.
To ensure free flow of rainwater to avoid flooding and damage to roads in the city, the government allocated Rs 1,813 crore for development of drains and culverts, Rs 1,450 crore for white topping of arterial and sub-arterial roads and another Rs 300 crore for reconstruction and repair of roads.
For the first time, the state budget has allocated Rs 3,000 crore to mitigate the ill effects of climate change and flooding, with assistance from World Bank. Experts have, however, questioned how it will be implemented on ground as lack of coordination among agencies is a known fact.
To address the issue of traffic congestion, the chief minister announced the construction of a 5-km elevated road from Tin Factory to Medahalli and an integrated flyover from Yeshwanthpur railway station to Mathikere and BEL Road.
City’s heritage finds place in budget
The CM also did not lose the opportunity to address the issue of the demand of suburban rail network for Bengaluru. He said that work on the first phase will be completed by 2024- 25 and the state’s share of Rs 1,000 crore will be provided this fiscal.
To protect the heritage sites in and around Bengaluru, the CM announced that a feasibility study will be conducted for declaring the area within 5 km from the centre of Bengaluru city and having heritage and educational institutions as Heritage and Educational District. He also announced that a tourist circuit will be started this year covering historical landmarks of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru city.
The healthcare sector also caught the attention of the government as it announced setting up of a taluk laboratory in Bengaluru, 50-bed Critical Care Blocks in Doddaballapura and another 100-bed such blocks in Bengaluru.