<p>A grant of Rs 192 crore provided to the City under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) for remodelling primary and secondary Storm Water Drains (SWDs) across four valleys —Vrishabhavathi, Challaghatta, Hebbal and Koramanagala — seems to have literally gone down the drain.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to Bruhat Bengalurur Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, a fresh proposal to remodel the drains in the 800 sq km area under the Palike will replace the JnNURM scheme meant initially to cover 257 km of storm water drains in the four valleys.<br /><br />The fresh proposal, sanctioned by the government and the Palike Council, effectively nullifies the remodelling work being carried out in the valleys since 2005-06.<br /><br />The Palike, according to the progress report under the JnNURM for the last quarter of 2011-12, has admitted to massive delays in the implementation of the project. <br /><br />The reasons quoted for the delay in the implementation, however, are non-availability of land, shifting of utilities, cost escalation, change in land use pattern and additional requirement from public.<br /><br />The report states that “unhygienic conditions prevailing” have led to a cost escalation over a period of eight years. Apart from this, the officials in the Palike claim ‘irregular’ and/or ‘non-availability’ of funds to have been the biggest obstacle for completion of the project.<br /><br />The final date of completion, according to the document submitted by the Palike, was March 2013. With no means of salvaging the project, however, Palike officers are saying it will ‘never see the light of the day’.<br /><br />“The projects for the four valleys were sanctioned in 2006, and no contractor is now willing to take the responsibility for completing the work. The partly completed work will, as a result, be incorporated into the new projects, which will be commissioned in future for the entire 800 sq km,” said a BBMP officer.<br /><br />‘Plans already approved’<br /><br />The State government and the BBMP Council have already approved the master plan and the detailed project report for the new project and a final word for raising funds is awaited.<br /><br />“We are looking at an investment of a minimum of Rs 4,205 crore, which was last estimated in 2010-11. We are, however, yet to receive a word from the State government on the funding for the project,” said the officer.<br /><br />The project is estimated to take not less than five years to complete. The Palike, citing the need for more funds for fresh projects to remodel the storm water drains, is likely to approach major financial institutions including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.<br /><br />“We cannot depend on the State government for such kind of funding,” a palike official said.</p>
<p>A grant of Rs 192 crore provided to the City under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) for remodelling primary and secondary Storm Water Drains (SWDs) across four valleys —Vrishabhavathi, Challaghatta, Hebbal and Koramanagala — seems to have literally gone down the drain.<br /><br /></p>.<p>According to Bruhat Bengalurur Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, a fresh proposal to remodel the drains in the 800 sq km area under the Palike will replace the JnNURM scheme meant initially to cover 257 km of storm water drains in the four valleys.<br /><br />The fresh proposal, sanctioned by the government and the Palike Council, effectively nullifies the remodelling work being carried out in the valleys since 2005-06.<br /><br />The Palike, according to the progress report under the JnNURM for the last quarter of 2011-12, has admitted to massive delays in the implementation of the project. <br /><br />The reasons quoted for the delay in the implementation, however, are non-availability of land, shifting of utilities, cost escalation, change in land use pattern and additional requirement from public.<br /><br />The report states that “unhygienic conditions prevailing” have led to a cost escalation over a period of eight years. Apart from this, the officials in the Palike claim ‘irregular’ and/or ‘non-availability’ of funds to have been the biggest obstacle for completion of the project.<br /><br />The final date of completion, according to the document submitted by the Palike, was March 2013. With no means of salvaging the project, however, Palike officers are saying it will ‘never see the light of the day’.<br /><br />“The projects for the four valleys were sanctioned in 2006, and no contractor is now willing to take the responsibility for completing the work. The partly completed work will, as a result, be incorporated into the new projects, which will be commissioned in future for the entire 800 sq km,” said a BBMP officer.<br /><br />‘Plans already approved’<br /><br />The State government and the BBMP Council have already approved the master plan and the detailed project report for the new project and a final word for raising funds is awaited.<br /><br />“We are looking at an investment of a minimum of Rs 4,205 crore, which was last estimated in 2010-11. We are, however, yet to receive a word from the State government on the funding for the project,” said the officer.<br /><br />The project is estimated to take not less than five years to complete. The Palike, citing the need for more funds for fresh projects to remodel the storm water drains, is likely to approach major financial institutions including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.<br /><br />“We cannot depend on the State government for such kind of funding,” a palike official said.</p>