Eight cluster cities to decongest Bangalore planned

Bangalore, Jan 31 (IANS) The Karnataka government plans to build eight cluster cities around Bangalore to decongest the bustling metropolis and regulate migration from within the state and across the tech hub.

“Eight cluster cities will be built around Bangalore at a cost of Rs.2,100 crore to decongest the city, which is bursting with about 10 million people and infrastructure constraints,” state Law Minister Suresh Kumar told reporters here after a cabinet meeting here.

Of the proposed investment, the state government and local bodies will contribute Rs.700 crore, while the balance Rs.1,400 crore will be raised from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as a long-term loan.

“The satellite cities will be developed at Anekal, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Hoskote, Kanakapura, Magadi, Nelamangala and Ramanagara, which are located around the state capital in north, south, east and west and are well connected,” Kumar said.

The clusters will be developed in accordance with the blueprint drawn by the state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) by the state-run Karnataka Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (KIDCL) through public-private partnership.

“The population of the metropolis is projected to grow exponentially over the next 18 years to touch 18 million by 2030 from 10 million in 2012.

“There is an urgent need to expand the city area all directions with basic amenities so as to meet the civic needs of the people, including migrants from other places for various reasons,” Kumar said.

The investment will be utilised in building infrastructure such as roads, bus corridors, railway stations, commercial and residential areas, market complexes, drainage, solid waste management, power stations and water supply system.

The cabinet also cleared the housing project of the Belgaum Urban Development Authority to be developed in 148 acres in the city, about 500km northwest of Bangalore, with 40 percent in the form of the land to be developed by builders and the remaining 60 percent as residential sites to the public.

IANS 2013-01-31 23:02:02