Proposed Bengaluru Skydeck project
Credit: Special arrangement
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s grandiose plan to construct a skydeck in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 400-500 crore may soon become a reality, with the government crossing all initial hurdles.
But should the government be indulging in such wasteful expenditure when it is scrounging for funds to meet its budgetary expenses? With a projected revenue deficit of Rs 27,000 crore for the current fiscal, the state should instead be tightening its purse strings.
Shivakumar may not be off the mark when he says the skydeck, 250 metres high, will enhance the image of Brand Bengaluru and attract tourists in large numbers. Yet, there is no justification for this expense, as there is no dearth of private players to execute the project at no cost to the state exchequer.
The government had earlier identified four locations for the project, but could not proceed with them due to logistical reasons.
It has now zeroed in on Hemmigepura in the south-west of the city, adjoining the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) road.
The site is 5 km from the Thalaghattapura Metro station and offers a panoramic view of the Turahalli forest. However, the government does not seem to have given any consideration to what impact the project will have on the forest, already threatened by encroachments.
There is also a proposal to construct a second airport in Bengaluru, and if it is ultimately decided to set it up in the south, there is every chance that the skydeck will become an obstruction. The government, which had earlier identified the NGEF land at Baiyappanahalli for the project, had to abandon its plans because of the area’s proximity to the HAL airport.
One would have expected the Opposition to raise its voice against the government’s indulgence. On the contrary, reports suggest that all MLAs from Bengaluru, including those belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have lent their unequivocal support to the project at a meeting convened by Shivakumar.
R Ashok, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, is also in favour of the project. The private sector will most likely do a better job in establishing, maintaining, and marketing such a project.
The government could get into a revenue-sharing arrangement and provide land and tax concessions. Bengaluru faces several pressing problems calling for the government’s attention and resources. Brand Bengaluru, which Shivakumar often cites, has taken a severe beating because of crumbling infrastructure, incorrigible traffic jams, and other civic problems. It is high time the government got its priorities right.