CM DKS moving forward to build more Bengalurus beyond Bengaluru

The DK Shivkumar led government in Karnataka is now looking beyond its capital, seeking to develop more cities that can emerge as alternatives to Bengaluru. The State government was trying to develop the rest of Karnataka by building growth centres outside Bengaluru. As the Congress government led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar completed 100 days on September 10, it appears focussed on building these alternative cities. DKS acknowledged Bengaluru's estimated population of around 12.5 million and more than 11.5 million vehicles to underline the scale of the problem.
The pressure on the city is visible every day. It is visible on roads, housing, public transport and civic infrastructure. The city continues to attract people because economic opportunity remains concentrated here, creating a cycle in which more jobs bring more people, which in turn puts greater pressure on the city's infrastructure.
Speaking at the Target India event held recently, the CM said, "Our government is moving forward to build more Bengalurus beyond Bengaluru. We are committed to providing all the facilities available in Bengaluru to the state's tier-2 and tier-3 cities as well." "Office space rent in Bengaluru is between $1 and $1.5. In tier-2 and tier-3 cities, it's available for half a dollar. We are moving forward to offer double FAR there, thereby enabling the construction of multi-storey buildings in those cities too. We are providing high-quality education in Karnataka. We remain open to your suggestions," he said."Every month, 30,000 new vehicles are being registered in Bengaluru. That's why we are prioritizing smooth traffic movement. We have already planned 350 km of metro connectivity, and aim to extend it to 500 km by next year," he said.
The Goverment is  moving ahead to build a 40 km tunnel road in Bengaluru. Along with these, it has planned a 44 km double-decker flyover project. We have planned a 133 km flyover project. Presently, the government is pending Rs 1.5 lakh crore on Bengaluru's development.
According t DK Shivakumar,t here are 138 international schools in the country, of which 40 are in Karnataka and Bengaluru. Two lakh foreign passport holders are working in Bengaluru and the culture and climate here are Bengaluru's biggest strengths. 
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s direction to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to explore a change in the alignment of the Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road to keep it away from Lalbagh may be easier said than done. At the GBA meeting on Friday, CM Shivakumar reportedly instructed officials to look for alternate land instead of Lalbagh for building the TBM shaft. He apparently pointed out that the tunnel road would not damage the park but was not in favour of hurting public sentiment.
Meanwhile, several citizen groups have approached the high court, challenging the tunnel road project on several grounds, especially for not obtaining an environmental impact assessment study, and for skipping approval of Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA), among others.

(State Correpondent)