The 100 Crore question of Belgaum

 

For many years the government was not looking into the issues related to development and infrastructure in Belgaum. But off late the successive governments are taking a keen interest in the development of Belgaum which is mainly propelled by the influence and efforts of various organizations. Unluckily none of the politicians from Belgaum have played any role in pressurizing the government; it is the successful efforts of the Organizations that have helped.

The Belgaum City Corporation under different grants has done many road works. Funds from flood relief, 17.80 crores from SFC grant, and 14 crores from World Kannada meet, Special fund before Belgaum’s winter sessions. The main roads and other roads works have been completed. In fact some roads have been re-done before the maintenance periods got over.

 

The 100 crore grant is an additional grant to the BCC for overall development of Belgaum City. The Highlights of the present action plan is only on Roads, more than 90% of the grant is to be utilized for Roads and the remaining 10% for drains and electrical works.

 

See earlier post related to this here.

Why have they not considered other infrastructure which the city badly needs?

The market area needs multi level parking, Widening of Roads, beautification of existing parks, Amusement parks, under passes(near Court compound and elsewhere), over bridges, Bus shelters, Community Halls, etc. The development of city does not only mean building roads. We also need other infrastructure in place.

When people demand for infrastructure Corporation officials & authorities say there are no funds, but when funds are available they are misutilized for wrong purposes. How many times to do they want to build the same roads again and again?

The proposed action plan was planned by private engineers it is said. The corporation has not bothered to see if the road works proposed in this action plan are due for work or they are still in the maintenance period.

The Karnataka Rakshane Vedike is demanding to stop the tendering process and scrap the existing action plan and come up with a new comprehensive action plan which provides opportunity for:

Construction of multi level parking

 Widening of Roads

Beautification of existing parks

Amusement parks

Under passes (near Court compound and elsewhere)

Over bridges

Bus shelters

Community Halls

 

 Before the action plan is re proposed they should have a meeting of all organizations and take their opinion and they should have some professional urban planning firms to advice and overlook on the works.

The KRV was protesting with the same at the Corporation office, but to my surprise no one covered the news. I have no idea why this is so? I am just doing this after getting inputs from KRV and I guess what they have stated is correct, Why only roads build other infrastructure also using those 100 crores. The KRV added that the above mentioned infrastructural developments are only a few which the city needs, there could be many more.

It was also felt that the citizens of Belgaum should come together under a common platform for the development of Belgaum. All the citizens’ forums working in the city and the public at large should take keen interest in the development of the city.

I request readers to comment on this and debate heavily; after all it’s our own tax payer’s money that will be utilized here again.