A smooth ride to BIA soon

BANGALORE: While promising to take a re-look at the BIA expressway file that has been gathering dust in the NHAI, the state government said connectivity projects to BIA will be completed by this year-end. Making submissions on the government’s behalf to a division Bench of the high court headed by Justice Rammohan Reddy, advocate general Udaya Holla said work on laying segmented elements (magic boxes) at CBI and Sanjaynagar junctions will be done by September. It will allow signal-free traffic. Upgradation of 46 roads is also likely to be completed by December. The high speed rail network project is expected to be complete by the end of 2011 and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has been appointed as consultants. A notice will be issued shortly calling for “expression of interest from interested parties, Holla said. “The airport and connectivity must go hand-in-hand. But where are the bus bays and the bus stops? You have to bring down the risks of the travelling public. Why can’t you have an elevated road between Vidhana Soudha and Hebbal flyover? As for the present, the connectivity is not satisfactory. It has to improve,” the Bench said before adjourning the hearing to June 30. The court also observed that central government’s preparedness has been chaotic. Reply sought on lakes case A division Bench has directed the principal chief conservator of forest and deputy conservator of forest (Bangalore Urban) to file a report in a week over allegations made in a PIL on privatization of lakes. The litigation had challenged privatisation of three lakes in the city, saying it has caused pollution in many areas. The PIL was filed by Robert John Chandran and Leo Saldana of Environmental Support Group challenging the privatisation of Hebbal, Nagawara and Agaram lakes. They claim that the LDA has allowed civil work to develop variety of commercial infrastructure in Vengaiahna Kere. The petitioners said the LDA formed to look after these lakes had exceeded its jurisdiction in leasing Agaram, Hebbal and Nagawara lakes to private enterprises for commercial use by way of amusement parks and floating restaurants. (toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com)
14 Jun 2008, 0349 hrs IST,TNN
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