The former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has said that soon the Union government will sanction flyover projects for the twin cities.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, he said that already the State government had sent a detailed project report to the Union government for building two flyovers in Hubballi and Dharwad.
Mr. Shettar said that while Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had given sanction for ₹ 300 crore for the two flyovers, he had also promised to grant additional funds as the estimated cost of the project according to the project report had gone beyond a thousand crore.
He said that Mr. Gadkari had also requested the State government to bear a part of the project cost so that it could be taken up in a phased manner. Mr. Shettar said that he would pursue the issue and get the required sanctions soon.
On clearing encroachments upon roads and public places in the twin cities, he said that after he raised the issue with the district in-charge Minister R.V. Deshpande, the latter had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad to immediately take up the issue seriously. Consequently, Deputy Commissioner Deepa Cholan had a held a meeting with officials of the municipal corporation and a drive against encroachments was likely to be initiated within a week.
Mr. Shettar, however, expressed displeasure over the apathetic attitude of the municipal corporation towards clearing encroachments. He said that the government should direct the officials to initiate steps to save public property.
Mayor Sudhir Saraf, Deputy Mayor Menaka Hurali, BJP leaders Mahesh Tenginakai and Mallikarjun Savakar were present.