Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday expressed his disappointment over the slow progress of the Smart City Projects (SCP) in Bengaluru despite the commencement of monsoon. The Chief Minister pulled up officials during a review meeting for the poor condition of 27 roads with piles of mud and craters on both sides of the roads hindering vehicular movement in the city. "The monsoon has already set in and is expected to intensify in another two weeks. When are you going to complete the work?" the CM asked the civic agency officials.
"Though I have instructed the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) to complete the 27 smart city projects by May 31 before the monsoon sets in, the works are incomplete, as evident from piles of mud and craters on both sides of the roads," he said at a review meeting with civic officials. He said he has been observing that the incomplete road works in the Central Business District of Bengaluru was a hindrance to public as well as VIP movement.
The Chief Engineer of the SCP assured the Chief Minister that the work would be completed by June 30. City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant brought to the Chief Minister's notice that the incomplete works were causing traffic congestion across the city. The Chief Minister directed the civic officials to speed up works and complete them at the earliest to avoid inconvenience to the public.
Yediyurappa also reviewed the expansion of the metro rail network across the city and the suburban train service project, which have been delayed due to the lockdown. The second phase of the metro rail project is under construction to extend the service by 66 km at a cost of Rs 33,070 crore.