Self-sustaining budget: Raipura

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In the budget estimate with the total outlay of Rs 11,157.83 crore presented by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Special Commissioner, Finance, Jayaram Raipura on Thursday, the civic body has prioritised infrastructure development and upgrade in the city.

The budget for the fiscal 2023-24 was announced in presence of the agency Administrator Rakesh Singh and Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath at the Town Hall here. Raipura, while announcing the budget, set a lens on maintenance of existing infrastructure in the city such as slaughter houses, crematoriums and burial grounds with Rs 182.25 crore dedicated towards the Programme of Works (PoW).

For the last few years there have been complaints of overflowing storm-water drains (SWD) and flooded roads across various areas in the city, so the officials concerned are set to take up de-silting, pothole filling, and footpath development works in the city, Raipura said.

While he said that Rs 15 crore has been set aside for the Emergency Monsoon works. Amid residents and environmental activists opposing flyovers, the BBMP has announced 15 more flyovers and underpasses in various parts including Jalahalli, Sadashivanagar, Yelahanka, Baiyappanahalli, Surjan Das Road junction, Gokula and Mehkri Circle.

A fund of Rs 195 crore has been announced towards supporting the ongoing construction of 9 flyovers in the city. The BBMP also allocated Rs 5 crore towards construction of underground parking spaces in different areas.

It is worth noting that the multi-level parking facility that the civic agency constructed at the cost of Rs 78 crore, with an aim of easing congestion in the central business district area near Freedom Park, is still non-operational. Considering the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, the civic body's budget was prepared under close guidance of the ruling BJP government.

Important points of the 2023-24 budget are: Flyovers and underpasses:

BBMP's solution for easing traffic woes in the city, is the construction of flyovers and underpasses at various places across the city with an allocation of Rs 210 crore. The places include Jalahalli, Sadashivanagar, Yelahanka, Baiyappanahalli, Surjan Das Road junction, Gokula and Mehkri Circle.

Parks and junctions

New parks will be constructed at a cost of Rs 15 crore in the city while Rs 150 crore will help improve 75 junctions to ease the traffic flow, it was announced.

Plazas to come up in the city:

In a busy city, an open area with trees and shrubs where people can sit for a rest is a boon. Rs 50 crore has been earmarked for constructing 10 such plazas across the city by the BBMP.

The newly established 243 wards to be subdivided

Understanding the humongous task and difficulty in managing the administration of 243 wards, it is proposed to have subdivisions with 3 to 4 wards, a division with 2 to 3 subdivisions and a few divisions making up one zone, Raipura said.

Protection of property from encroachment

BBMP allocated Rs 40 crore to identify and fence the agency's properties with installation of nameplates and digitization of the records utilising Rs 40 crore allocation. With the city getting populated, this is a necessary move by the agency.

De-silting storm-water drains (SWD)

Storm-water drains got the second highest allocation of Rs 1,643.72 crore in the budget with over Rs 70 crore going towards maintenance and Rs 15 crore towards Emergency Monsoon works.