The phase will cost Rs 27,000 cr; Government also approves Upper Krishna Irrigation project.
The Bangalore Metro secured the much-awaited approval for its second phase on Tuesday. The state cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda, granted the administrative approval for phase II of Namma Metro, and it will consist of 72 kms. The estimated cost for the phase is Rs 27,000 crore.
Briefing reporters, Dr V S Acharya, minister for higher education, and Basavaraj Bommai, minister for irrigation, said that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) would execute the project concurrently with the ongoing phase-I of the project. While the phase-I is scheduled for completion in December 2013, the phase-II would be completed by 2017.
Bommai said, the second phase would be executed with budgetary support from the state and Centre along with external borrowing from the Japanese government. The details of the loans from Japan would be worked out later, he said.
The BMRCL had submitted the detailed project report (DPR) last year which was prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. The second phase will see extension of all reaches on the two existing corridors, east-west and north-south. In addition to this, it will have two new lines — one from Jayanagar to Electronics City via. Jayadeva Hospital, BTM Layout and Silk Board, and the second from Nagavara to Gottigere via Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), which will be 21 kms.
On the east-west corridor, the DMRC has recommended for extending it up to Whitefield from the existing terminating point at Baiyappanahalli in the east (15.5 kms) and up to Kengeri to the west (6.5 kms). On the north-south corridor, it has recommended extending it up to Bangalore International Exhibition Centre from Hessarghatta Cross (3.8 kms) in the north and up to Anjanapura township from Puttenahalli Cross in the south (6.3 kms).
The state cabinet also accorded an administrative approval for the third stage of the Upper Krishna Project, which will irrigate 530,475 hectares in the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Koppal and Raichur. The project, which will cost Rs 17,207 crore as per the 2011-12 prices, would be taken up during the next financial year and completed over seven years, Bommai said.
He said, the cabinet has approved the detailed project report according to which, the project would result into submergence of 76,000 hectares and shifting of 20 villages. Through this project, 130.5 tmc ft of water will be utilised. The government proposes to take up simultaneously the work on rehabilitation and resettlement, land acquisition and the construction of the canal project once the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Central Water Commission give their approval.
“While, the state government would make budgetary allocation for taking up the project, it is also proposed to raise exter-nal borrowing and loans from Hudco and Nabard for certain components. The state government is in talks with Hudco for funding the R&R project,” Bommai said.
With the execution of UKP-Stage 3 project, the 40-year dream of north Karnataka farmers will be realised. “It is a new year gift to the people of north Karnataka,” he said.
Among other projects cleared at the cabinet meeting include appointment of Ernst & Young as the knowledge partner and consultancy advisor for the forthcoming Global Investors Meet, 2012, which will be held in June 2012, Acharya said.
He said, the cabinet also approved setting up of a modern agriculture market at Byat-arayanapura on the outskirts of Bangalore at a cost of Rs 105 crore. The project has been entrusted to Sobha Developers which will build purchase yard, grading facility, storage yard and cold storage, among others. The market will be spread over 200 acres, he said.
The cabinet also approved the adoption of an ‘animation, visual effects, gaming and comics policy’.
