HERALD CORRESPONDENT
BELGAUM, DEC 26
With a vision to develop Belgaum into a model city in the country, a proposal worth Rs 6000 crore has been placed before the state government and Centre.
The proposal drawn up keeping in view the needs for next 30 years focuses on the entire infrastructure necessary to develop Belgaum into a developed city.
After the proposal was submitted to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, the state government placed it before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the Centre’s approval recently.
A team of MLAs, noted engineers, industrialists and senior officials decided to prepare a proposal after the government decided to develop Belgaum into the second capital of Karnataka.
“The proposal covers most of the infrastructure developments needed for Belgaum in all the fields. Besides the improvement of industrial sector, the city will also see a series of works which the people of Belgaum are waiting for with fingers crossed for a long time. The state government will share 10% of the total project cost while the rest of the funds will be borne by the Centre,” said MLA Abhay Patil who is playing a pivotal role.
The construction of Suvarna Soudha is nearing completion and the up-gradation of Belgaum airport going on at brisk pace. Once both these works are over, it is vital for the government to implement some of the major works to make the city a prominent one in the state.
“The ring road proposal is pending for a long time. The road which connects Peeranwadi and Halga, the two ends of city will help ease traffic congestion to a great extent in all parts of Belgaum. Before Suvarna Soudha construction is over, it is better to implement the road project,” said civil engineer Raju Nayak.
The team which prepared the proposal has worked on it for more than six months finalising the works needed to be implemented and their rough estimates. Some of the senior engineers in the team did a research on the projects to be implemented in the city.
Senior city corporation engineer R S Naik who has been instrumental in reviving a number of age-old open wells to cater the drinking water needs of people also has given several ideas on the works to be implemented.
Major funds in the proposal have been set aside for water supply projects (Rs 315 crore), development of underground drainage (Rs 225 crore), road network (Rs 1,384 crore), industrial development (Rs 655 crore), textile development (Rs 200 crore), power supply development (Rs 710 crore), health (Rs 457 crore) and poverty elimination (Rs 200 crore).
Opinions of experts from all the fields have been gathered by the team while making the project estimates and maps. The extensive proposal covers a series of works including some of the major projects which are pending before the government.
The city which is spread across 94.08 sq kms is having about 5 lakh population and is split in 58 city corporation wards.
According to experts, the population of the city is expected to reach about 8.5 lakh in the next 30 years. Based on the possible developments and progress in all the fields, the team of experts has drawn up the proposal, which has been appreciated by the state government. Belgaum will grow into a model city if the proposal gets the Centre’s nod.
