Bengaluru setting benchmark not competing with Hyderabad or any other city: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday asserted that Bengaluru is setting a benchmark, and it is not competing with Hyderabad or any other city.
Shivakumar, who is also the Minister for Bengaluru Development, was responding to opposition leader R Ashoka's demand urging him to react, after Telangana CM Revanth Reddy reportedly mocked Bengaluru's traffic congestion and pollution while promoting Hyderabad, recently.
"Bengaluru is not competing with any city. Bengaluru is setting a benchmark. Bengaluru will always lead and others have to follow. Bengaluru has its own unique challenges and we will handle them effectively. Cities are not judged by complaints, but by contributions. Bengaluru will always grow high," Shivakumar said during the discussion on the city's issues in the Legislative Assembly.
He said he did not want to discuss Hyderabad or other cities.
Noting that in a survey on Global Tech Market Top Talent, Bengaluru ranks 6th globally, while Hyderabad is at 24th place, the Deputy CM said, "We do not need to compete with Hyderabad. Bengaluru is not competing with Hyderabad. Bengaluru has 250 engineering colleges and 70 medical colleges. No other state in the country has this. Our state is producing 13,940 doctors."
"Talents nurtured here are going abroad -- 50 per cent have stayed back. ISRO, the first national law school, HMT industries, and ITI were all established here. This is why Bengaluru has grown, and we want to preserve this," he added.
The whole country is watching Bengaluru. "When I went to the Davos Summit, I saw the priority given to Bengaluru there. Companies from America and Europe are asking for time to discuss investment. Bengaluru is setting a benchmark for other cities," he said.
Highlighting the various infrastructure projects taken up in Bengaluru under the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, he, however, said, "Now, no grants are coming from the Centre for Bengaluru city's development. I had met the Prime Minister and appealed. I had hoped Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance Minister) would help, but she did not. We are managing from our own funds."
Noting that he came to Bengaluru at age 6 and has stayed here ever since, the Deputy CM said, "Bengaluru has given me everything. I must give something back to Bengaluru."
"I cannot be here (in politics) forever. I may be in politics for another 10-15 years at most. I am trying to contribute something in the opportunity I have been given. I alone cannot do everything. All of you must also give valuable suggestions to me in this democratic system," he appealed.
Pointing out that even though the traffic issues in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi are worse than Bengaluru, the city gets more coverage for its issues, Shivakumar said. "We have taken many steps on traffic. Roads in Bengaluru are only 8 per cent of the area. Road widening is needed, but after the 2013 compensation legislation, compensation must be given at double the rate. So road widening is impossible." That is why the government is going ahead with the Bengaluru Business Corridor, he said.
"Land owners have been given compensation under the 2013 Act. For Phase 1 of the project, 80 per cent of land acquisition has been approved. Tenders will be called soon. This road will ease half of Bengaluru's traffic congestion. Thanks to HUDCO for agreeing to provide a loan of Rs 26,000 crore in a single day for this project," he said.
Noting that since road widening inside the city is impossible, the government is proceeding to build tunnel roads, the Deputy CM said, there is no other option to ease Bengaluru's traffic.
"For the tunnel road, land acquisition at a few points will cost Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 crore. Beyond that, Rs 17,000 crore is needed for road construction. There is a big difference between our tender and tunnel road tenders in other states. Our cost will be Rs 700-Rs 800 crore per km, while other states have spent Rs 1,300-Rs 1,400 crore per km," he explained.
Shivakumar said the government was committed to bringing in the Apartment Act and to implement it.
"I will discuss with opposition MLAs and gather their opinion. It will then be implemented even through an ordinance if necessary," he said.
Stating that potholes exist everywhere, the Deputy CM said, "We have largely filled Bengaluru's potholes. Rs 1,700 crore has been spent on 150 km of new roads. We were the first in the country to allow the public to report potholes to the corporation. Filling potholes is an ongoing process and we are continuing it."
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18 injured in amusement ride mishap at Jatra Mahotsava in Gadag
Gadag: At least 18 people were injured, four of them critically, after an amusement ride malfunctioned during the Jatra Mahotsava held at the premises of Tontadarya Mutt on Sunday night.
According to Deccan Herald, the incident occurred around 9 pm when the ‘Dancing Play’ ride (also known as Break Dance or Crazy Dance) reportedly developed a mechanical fault, causing three chairs to tilt dangerously while in motion.
The people inside these chairs were injured and rushed to Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences and Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMC-RI) Hubballi.
Police said that among the injured, two are from Koppal district, one from Tumakuru, and the remaining are from Gadag district. The identities of some victims are yet to be confirmed.
The four victims, who are in critical condition, are severely injured in the head and have been shifted to KMC-RI, officials said.
Meanwhile, members of the Hindu Veerashaiva Lingayat Yuva Vedike staged a protest, demanding strict action against the contractor responsible for organizing the amusement rides, as well as the Jatra Mahotsava committee.
