"Karnataka invites private sector participation in infrastructure development"

"Government of Karnataka is keen to partner with the private sector in infrastructure development in rail, roads, energy, airports, rapid mass transit and ports" said Mr V Madhu, IAS, Principal Secretary – IDD & Revenue Department, and Managing Director, BARL. He said that the Government of Karnataka would develop minor airports and also propose to set up a Rs 800-crore mega food park with backward and forward linkages in the State.

Addressing the Session on State Integrated Infrastructure Promotion – Karnataka, at CII SUMINFRA 2010, Mr Madhu said that the Government will focus on financial viability, while ensuring environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness. For private participation, the State is focusing on logistics, energy, industrial infrastructure and tourism. The government is also keen to increase the port handling capacity from the current 34 million metric tonne to 114 million metric tonne by 2026.

In her address, Ms Vanditha Sharma, IAS, Managing Director, KSIIDC, said that the State Government has embarked on developing food parks in the State using PPP route in Malur in Kolar District, Hiriyur in Chitradurga district, Navangar in Baglakot district and Jewargi in Gulbarg district. The Government will also assist the private investors with viability gap funding. Apart from these four areas, the government has also identified seven more locations for setting up food parks.

Mr J L Jere, Executive Director, KSIIDC, in his address, said that Tadri port is the State's ambitious PPP port project. The Tadri port will be a multi-cargo, all-weather port that will go a long way in promoting the economy of north coastal belt.

Mr Anil Kumar, IAS, Managing Director, KRDCL & CPO, KSHIP, in his address, said that KRDCL is taking up the construction of 275 km road on Build Operate Transfer mode at the cost of Rs 722 crores. It will also take up another 1300 km of mega road development project covering many parts of the State.

He said that along with the support of World Bank, the State will construct four road projects – for which the tenders will be issued in October, 2010. The government is also creating transport hubs covering various road stretches of about 3411 kms. The State is likely to receive funding from the Asian Development Bank for road sector in near future.

In his address, Mr Gaurav Gupta, IAS, Managing Director, KSRTC, said that the government is promoting Subhash Nagar transport hub at the cost of Rs 1400 crore. This inter-modal transit centre would link the bus terminals with the proposed Bangalore Metro and will come up in 31 acres. The government is also promoting transport hubs in Mangalore and Hassan at the cost of Rs 20 crore and Rs 32 crore respectively, besides promoting transport hubs at Puttur and Chitradurga for Rs 7 and Rs 36 crores.

Mr Sayed Zameer Pasha, IAS, Managing Director, BMTC, said that the government is setting up transport hubs at Hebbal on PPP basis at Rs 300 crore, while promoting transport hubs at Jayanagar and Katriguppe at Rs 306 crores and Rs 144 crores.