Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Udasi said as many as 200 non-urban Assembly constituencies have been identified under the new scheme ‘Suvarna Rasthe Yojane.’ Jurisdictional legislators will have the discretion to identify the roads for improvement and utilise the grants allotted for their respective constituencies, he said.
The Government has also released Rs 230 crore for road development in 114 backward taluks as identified in the D M Nanjundappa Committee’s report on regional imbalances. The project work taken up under the two schemes, will be completed by December this year, he said.
Land for expressway
Replying to queries, Udasi said the Government will handover 1,700 acres to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) for construction of the first phase of the main expressway between Bangalore and Mysore by August 1 as per the undertaking given to the apex court. Stating that the process is underway, he said, the allocation would be as per the framework agreement.
The minister said, the State government was awaiting approval from the World Bank for works on the 850 kms State roads at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore under the Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project-II (KSHIP-II). He said, the formalities would be completed within the next three to four months.
To another query, the minister said, the State government had sent a proposal to the Centre seeking Rs 100 crore to enable a cement road to be laid on the 32-km Shiradi Ghat stretch.
He said, the Government is keen on taking up works on the Mysore-Bantwal stretch for improvement under the Public Private Partnership mode, he added.