BENGALURU (Metro Rail News): Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyuappa presented the State Budget on 8th March with one of the major focus given on transportation infrastructure in the state. Some of the important announcements were –
- Construction of Ring Road from National Highway 4A of Zadshahapura village to National Highway 4 of Bennali village in Belagavi city, in collaboration with the Central Government.
- Development of a Ring Road with the assistance from National Highway Authority in Raichur town.
- With the aim to increase the railway network coverage in the state, Karnataka Government will undertake seven new railway projects for laying 1,173 kilometers of railway lines. The estimated cost of these works is at Rs.7,984 crores and out of this, the State Government will incur Rs.3,991 crores.
- For the 73 km long new railway line between Dharwad-Kittur-Belagavi, State Government has provided a grant of Rs.463 crores to this new railway line. True respects to late Shri Suresh Angadi, former Minister of State for Railways, will be paid by early completion of this project.
- Airport works in Shivamogga and Vijayapura have already commenced in the year 2020-21 at a cost of Rs.384 crores and Rs.220 crores respectively and they would be operationalised soon.
- The work of Hassan airport which was pending for more than ten years will be commenced in this year at a cost of Rs.175 crores.
- In order to connect the harbours of the State to National Highways, tender has been invited by the National Highway Authority of India for the construction of four-lane connecting road linking the harbour being developed near Kasarakodu of Honnavara to the National Highway-66 under Bharat Mala Project, at a cost of Rs.100 crores.
- Waterways will be developed between Mangalore and Panaji under public-private partnership to promote tourism and for affordable passenger and freight transportation.
- To reduce the traffic congestion around Bengaluru City, action has been taken by State Government to implement the 65 km long and 100 meter wide peripheral ring road project.
- The construction of sub-urban rail project which would reduce traffic congestion in Bengaluru city was taken up in the year 2020-21 at a cost of Rs.15,767 crores. The project has got approval from Central Government. The land acquisition process for this project is being taken up and it is aimed to complete this project in six years. A grant of Rs.850 crores is earmarked for this project by the State Government in the financial year 2021-22.
- The construction work of the second terminal building of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru will be completed during the current year at an expenditure of Rs.4,751 crores.
- To provide additional rail services to the residents of Bengaluru city, the project of doubling between Yeshwanthpura-Channasandra and Byappanahalli-Hosur divisions is being implemented through K-RIDE (Karnataka Railway Infrastructure Development Company Limited) at an expenditure of Rs. 813 crores, in collaboration with the Railway Ministry on 50% cost sharing basis. The works of the said project has commenced and will be completed by the end of 2023.
- 49 km of Bengaluru Metro Network is currently operational including the southern extension commissioned in January 2021. Another 41 km long Metro line is planned to be made operational in stages between June 2021 and December 2022. Rs.30,000 crores has been utilized so far for implementation of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Metro project.
- Approval of Government of India is expected shortly for the implementation of 58 km long Outer Ring Road-Airport Metro network in Bengaluru as Phase 2A and 2B at an estimated cost of Rs.14,788 crores.
