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Karnataka to develop 3,745 Km Roads

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The Karnataka government has announced the commencement of work on developing 3,745 Km of state highways in 70 packages at a cost of INR 1,499 crore under the second phase of state highway development project.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">Chief minister Siddaramaiah kick started the projects at a function, here. The civil works on road development would commence from January 2014 and they would ensure connectivity from one district headquarters to another and to various taluks. About 2,000 Km of roadworks are likely to be completed during the present financial year, he said.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Speaking after inaugurating the project works, he instructed engineers of the Public Works Department (PWD) to ensure quality of works and directed contractors to take up responsibility for road maintenance for at least three years.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">In Phase-I and II, the state government has accorded approval for developing 7,254 Km of state highways at an investment of INR 2,797 crore. In phase-I, Siddaramaiah said, 3,567 Km of roads were being developed at a cost of INR 1,439 crore under 66 packages. Physical progress of 1,438 Km and financial progress of INR 519 crore had been achieved during 2012-13.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">A sum of INR 414 crore had been spent to develop 895 Km in 2013-14 so far, he said, adding another 1,234 Km would be begun during the remaining months of the present fiscal. Tenders for the balance works are in progress.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Siddaramaiah said, the state has received INR 1,800 crore from the Union Surface Transport Ministry under the Central Road Fund (CRF) for developing roads this year. Besides fuelling economic growth, road connectivity would help the state to attract investments to Tier-II cities. Development of infrastructure was an indicator of the progress of the state, he said.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">Referring to the filling of potholes, the chief minister said, filling of potholes by dumping mere soil would not solve the problem. He instructed the engineers to follow a scientific method and proper procedures for filling potholes on roads. A sum of INR 100 crore had been sanctioned to fill the potholes, he said.&nbsp;</span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">Stating that the bad condition of roads has dented the image of Bangalore, he said all pending works on roads, flyovers and underpasses would be completed in the next five years. &quot;We want to develop as an international city,&quot; he said.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The government has been facing financial constraints on account of pending bills to the tune of INR 9,000 crore.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Pending bills of the Bangalore City Corporation alone stood at INR 2,000 crore, he added.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">Minister for Public Works H C Mahadevappa said the Centre has sanctioned INR 95 crore for developing the Shiradi Ghat road. The state has given 27 proposals to the Centre for upgrading 4,000 Km state highways into National Highways. &quot;We hope, at least 2,000 Km road will be upgraded to national highways,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">The Karnataka government intends to develop and upgrade about 15,000 Kms of roads over the next five years, he added.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">For comprehensive monitoring of the wide spread projects in the state, Project Monitoring System software has been developed and installed in the public works department. Project monitoring, quality control and contract administration are the main modules.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">Project activities, photographs, quality control tests are uploaded through mobile application on daily basis, the PWD said in a statement.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>