Expert panel to be formed to prepare blueprint for Bengaluru's development: K'taka Deputy CM DKShi
Bengaluru, Jun 17: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said an expert committee would be constituted to prepare a master plan or a blueprint for comprehensive development of Bengaluru city in six months.
Construction of "tunnel roads" in the city and development of satellite towns were among the suggestions that came across as Shivakumar, who is also in-charge for Bengaluru Development, held a meeting with leaders from various fields regarding the development of the state capital, under the title 'Brand Bengaluru'.
"After rounds of consultations, we will constitute a committee of government officials and those willing to contribute from the private, to prepare a blueprint, a master plan for Bengaluru in six months," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here after the meeting, he said many among those who attended the meeting were ready to contribute both in terms of ideas and financially, or were willing to take up projects like development of lakes among others.
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Stating that he will hold discussions with officials regarding what transpired in the meeting and come out with a time-bound programme, the Deputy CM said another round of meetings will be held next week where the opinions of people from various fields will be heard.
A website will also be launched and the opinions from the public will be collected, he said, adding, the process of making a grand plan for the comprehensive development of Bengaluru will be launched after that.
Forty-two leaders from various fields including industrialists, information technology, biotechnology, education sector, real estate, entrepreneurs, among others participated in the meeting.
Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairman and MD of Prestige Group Irfan Razack, co-founder of Zerodha Nikhil Kamath, BJP MP from Bangalore North and former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda, were among those present at the meeting.
According to Shivakumar, many issues including high traffic corridors, extending metro rail service, reduction of traffic congestion especially at high density traffic junctions in the city, solving the problem of waste management, purification and reuse of sewage water for industries and parks, improving slums, road widening, construction of peripheral ring road and elevated roads, were discussed in the meeting.
Some expressed displeasure over the suburban rail project not being initiated, he said, adding suggestions have also been received about completing the pending works of 'NICE Road' and using it as a ring road, time-bound completion of projects, and eliminating corruption.
Noting that suggestions also came regarding construction of tunnel roads crisscrossing the city, Shivakumar said: "Few of those who attended the meeting said -- get people from outside for this (tunnel roads), let them invest and maintain it for about 50 years and then give it back to the state. They said the government should take a bold step in this regard or else it will be a big problem for Bengaluru in the days ahead."
Also there were suggestions on opening certain businesses 24/7, pooling of vehicles, parking issues, among others. Some leaders stressed on the need for developing satellite towns around the city to manage the growing influx of people into Bengaluru.
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'Attempts to poison me in jail': Agustawestland 'middleman' Christian Michel James to court
New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI): A Delhi court on Thursday sought a response from Tihar Jail authorities on a plea of Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the Agustawestland case, claiming attempts were made to poison him inside the prison.
Special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal sought a status report form the DG (prisons), Tihar Jail on the application filed by James over the "specific serious allegations".
The judge directed the official to file the report by April 16, 2025 detailing the action taken after James levelled the allegations.
The judge further directed the jail superintendent concerned to "positively" take James to the orthopedic department, AIIMS on April 7 after her complained of pain post his surgery on February 11, 2025.
James, a British national, was extradited on December 4, 2018 from Dubai, where he spent four months in custody.
Probe agencies had reported irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian manufacturing company AgustaWestland.
James, on March 7, offered to "finish his sentence" and leave India instead of walking out on bail owing to "security risks".
Following the reprieve in the CBI and ED cases against him, the special court imposed the necessary bail conditions for releasing him on bail.
While the Delhi High Court on March 4 granted him bail in the ED case and directed for saddling James with the necessary bail riders, the Supreme Court on February 18 granted the relief in the CBI case subject to the trial court's conditions.
A trial court judge on March 7 asked James, "How are you now? God has been kind to you in the last two months. You have got bail in both cases."
He said, "Delhi is just a larger prison. My family cannot come to me...My security is at risk. I would rather complete my sentence and leave the country."
The judge asked James how could he continue to be incarcerated when he was granted bail.
"I cannot accept the bail. It's unsafe. Every time I step out of Tihar (prison), something happens," he said.
On the aspect of furnishing a surety bond, he said, "How can a person who has been in jail for six years produce local sureties?"
After he stressed he did not want to be released on bail because of security reasons, the judge asked, "Can't you find a safehouse in Delhi?"
James then offered to "narrate in private the incident" he faced when he was admitted to AIIMS.
"The problem I have is with the police. I would rather talk to you in private," he said.
The judge then asked the media persons and the police personnel to wait outside for some time.
The court later passed its order, laying down the conditions for bail.
The conditions included James marking his attendance physically before the investigating officers once every 15 days, providing his cellphone number, email and residential address to the probe agencies aside from not leaving the country without the court's permission and not tampering with the evidence or attempting to influence the witnesses.
"The accused shall not interact with respect to the present case with the media nor shall communicate regarding this case at any forum, during the trial of this case, the order said.
The court directed James to furnish a personal bond and surety of Rs 10 lakh in both cases and surrender his passport.
James is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case and the other two are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.
The CBI, in its chargesheet, claimed an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer due to the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.
The ED chargesheet filed against James in June 2016 alleged he received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland.
