BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Thursday presented its budget for 2023-24 with an outlay of Rs 11,157 crore, which lays stress on buidling more flyovers to decongest the city, and new schemes for women and the aged.
Ahead of the Assembly election, the budget lays stress infrastructure and civic amenities The budget, presented by BBMP Special Commissioner Jayaram Rampura, proposes new flyovers and underpasses at a cost of Rs 210 crore, while Rs 20 crore has been allocated for maintenance of the existing 42 flyovers and 28 underpasses, including pedestrian subways.
The flyovers that have been proposed include one on Gokula Road near Mathikere at a cost of Rs 40 crore, another at Outer Ring Road-Pipeline junction in Jalahalli at Rs 40 crore, on Jayamahal Road from Mehkri Cirle at a cost of Rs 65 crore and at Sadashivanagar police station junction at a cost of Rs 40 crore.
The civic body also plans to take up white-topping of 150-km stretch of roads in the city at a cost of Rs 1,410 crore. To ease traffic flow at major junctions, the roads will be widened and the junctions improved at a cost of Rs 150 crore while Rs 15 lakh has been allocated for each ward towards pothole-filling works. Also, Rs 300 crore has been earmarked for redoing roads dug up by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in the 110 villages that were brought under the BBMP.
The Palike has planned to develop a tourist corridor connecting Kempambudi lake, Bull Temple Road, Sankey Road, Kadu Malleshwara Temple, Ulsoor Lake and Someshwara Temple at a cost of Rs 180 crore. To beautify the city, 10 new city plazas are planned in residential areas with food courts, fountains, play areas and chit-chat corners for which Rs 50 crore has been set aside.
To tackle the issue of flooding during the monsoon, 195 km of rajakaluve side walls will be concretised at a cost of Rs 1,920 crore and Rs 72.90 crore has been earmarked for upkeep of drains. Lakes in the city will also be developed at a cost Rs 35 crore.
On the social front, the BBMP has come up with new schemes for women. These include construction of 250 SHE toilets, Shravana old age home in all the eight zones at a cost of Rs 16 crore, and a housing scheme for working women in the name of educationalist Savitribai Phule.
It is also proposed to give away 10,000 free laptops to students from poor families and BBMP educational institutions will be improved at a cost of Rs25 crore. Funds of Rs 100 crore has been set aside for an individual housing scheme and Rs 80 crore for development of slums. Crematoriums will be set up for pets dogs and other animals at Rs 5 crore while Rs 20 crore has been earmarked to tackle the stray dog menace.
The Palike will also deposit its share to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) towards constuction of the Raitha Santhe at Yelahanka.