Fountains, parks to beautify twin cities

Fountains, parks to beautify twin cities

Vincent D'Souza, TNN | Mar 9, 2011, 10.48pm IST

HUBLI: If everything goes as per the plans of Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation, the twin cities will only look more beautiful in the coming days.

HDMC commissioner Dr K V Trilokchandra told TOI that it has been planned to build fountains in seven circles and two gardens of twin cities. Kittur Chennamma Circle, Court Circle and Ambedkar Circle in Hubli and KCD Circle and German Hospital Circle in Dharwad have been chosen to put up fountains. The gardens selected for the purpose are Basavana Vana in Hubli and Vivekananda Park in Dharwad.

He said the HDMC is considering carrying out the beautification work on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis as some people who are presently maintaining medians have evinced interest in carrying out the task. "If not, we will go ahead with the project and call tenders within a month," said Trilokchandra.

He said each fountain will cost Rs 4 to 6 lakh and they are working on the design aspect. "We are contacting designers for the purpose. Different shapes and designs will be chosen for the fountains. The one that will come upat Court Circle will be triangle in shape. K C Circle will be the first where the fountain will come up," he said. At present there are no fountains in twin cities.

Dharwad's Kelgeri lake turns 100 today

Dharwad's Kelgeri lake turns 100 today

DHARWAD, March 4, 2011 Dinesh Nayak - The Hindu

 

The district administration has taken up a Rs. 5-crore scheme to renovate it

 

 

MANMADE TANK: A view of the Kelgeri lake in Dharwad. At right is a stone inscription that gives the date of the inauguration of the lake.

 

Kelgeri lake, known for its natural beauty and serene atmosphere, and is the legacy of Sir M. Visvesaraya, will turn 100 years on Friday. Nestled amidst idyllic surroundings, this 230-acre water body has played a key role in the development of Dharwad and has become an integral part of its culture and has been a source of inspiration for poets and writers of the land.

 

The lake was the brainchild of M. Visvesaraya, who built it to meet the drinking and irrigation water needs of Dharwad.

 

It was formally inaugurated on March 4, 1911 by the then collector of Dharwad district M.C. Gibbs.

 

Later, the lake has fulfilled the water needs of the citizens and farmers for several years till the city grew and Malaprabha Drinking Water Project began supplying the surface water to quench the thirst of the city people.

 

The lake was handed over to the University of Agricultural Sciences in 1983 and the university began using it to water its fields. The lake dried up in 2003 but later again filled up as there were good rains in 2004. The rich greenery in the surroundings of the lake attracts a good number of rare species of birds.

 

Although the lake is no longer used for watery needs, it is getting a facelift on the occasion of its centenary. It will soon get new look with new charm as a scheme to develop it into a tourist spot is under way.

 

Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain said a Rs. 5-crore scheme to develop the loch into a lake park and a centre for water sports was executed and expected to complete shortly. It has become a popular weekend spot as people began coming here to enjoy some cool time.

 

The scheme has plans to introduce the boating and develop it into a centre for water sports.

 

It is one of the few lakes which has potential to be developed into a centre for water sports and it would be possible to conduct the State-level water sports event here once the scheme was completed, Mr. Jain said.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

•  The tank, built by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, was inaugurated on March 4, 1911
• The water body dried up once in 2003 during drought, but came alive next year  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gangubai Hangal gurukul dedicated to the nation

Gangubai Hangal gurukul dedicated to the nation
HUBLI, March 6, 2011 - The Hindu
Host of musicians who attended inaugural felicitated

First of its kind: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa taking a tour of Dr. Gangubai Hangal Gurukul, which he inaugurated at Unakal in Hubli on Saturday.

Dr. Gangubai Hangal Gurukul, which will help music students learn music under the ‘guru-shishya' tradition, was inaugurated and dedicated to the nation by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa here on Saturday.

The event coincided with the 99th birth anniversary of the late Gangubai Hangal, the legendary vocalist of the Kirana Gharana, who put Hubli on the musical map of the country. The gurukul, located in the backdrop of Nrupatunga Betta in Unakal, will have six noted musicians who will train 36 students in various gharanas of Hindustani classical music under the ‘guru-shishya parampara'.

Participants

A host of musicians of national and international repute, including Kishori Amonkar, Pandit Mani Prasad, Vijaya Jadhav, Vidyadhar Vyas, Panchakshari Swamy Mattigatti, Someshwar Gurav and Narasimhalu Vadavati, were witness to the memorable event and were also felicitated on the occasion.

A Kannada book on Gangubai Hangal, Jagake Jogula Haadida Tayi, written by journalist Mallikarjun Siddannavar was released on the occasion while the Chief Minister also launched the website of the Gangubai Hangal Foundation, Gangubaihangal foundation.in.

After receiving a traditional welcome with the ‘jaggalige mela' (percussion instrument) by folk artistes, the Chief Minister, accompanied by Ministers C.M. Udasi, Govind Karjol, Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, among others, took a tour of the gurukul before proceeding with the inaugural ceremony. Mr. Yeddyurappa remembered the contribution of the Gangubai Hangal and also of Dharwad district to music.

“It is indeed heartening for me because, today, I am inaugurating the gurukul for which I laid the foundation stone. It has brought me great relief and happiness,” he said, addressing a gathering of musicians, music lovers and residents of Unakal village.

Welcoming the gathering, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jagadish Shettar said the gurukul was the only one of its kind in the country.

Veteran poet Chennaveera Kanavi said the inauguration of the gurukul had become meaningful and gained significance as it was being done during the birth centenary year of another legendary vocalist, Mallikarjun Mansur.

Residents protest

Meanwhile, the residents of Unakal village staged a demonstration demanding a mention of the name of their village in the gurukul's address claiming they had willingly given land for its establishment.

Hubli, Dharwad next on my list'

Hubli, Dharwad next on my list'

HUBLI, March 6, 2011 -The Hindu

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, on Saturday, said after Bangalore, the development of Hubli and Dharwad was next on his priority list.

He was addressing a gathering after performing the ‘bhoomi puja' for the Rs. 177.73-crore project of building a four-lane road between Hubli and Dharwad on Saturday.

Responding to the request made by district in-charge Minister Jagadish Shettar for additional funds for the development of the twin cities, the Chief Minister said, “As the budget session is on, I am not in a position to make any announcements. But I assure you that I want Hubli-Dharwad to grow just like Bangalore and I will take necessary steps.”

Mr. Shettar requested the Chief Minister to sanction double the grants given to the Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC).

The Chief Minister was not the only one to perform the ‘bhoomi puja' for the four-lane road, on Saturday. Upset by the way the function was being conducted, Congress members, led by C.S. Shivalli, former MLA, staged a protest at the APMC yard and performed a ‘bhoomi puja' on their own while the Chief Minister was inaugurating the Dr. Gangubai Hangal Gurukul.

They said although the Union Government had released Rs. 100 crore for the project, the BJP leaders were trying to project it as a State Government initiative. They alleged that none of the Union Government Ministers were invited for the function.

Chief Minister's function: park your vehicles here

Chief Minister's function: park your vehicles here

HUBLI, March 5, 2011 - The Hindu

In the wake of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa visiting Hubli on Saturday to participate in the inauguration of Dr. Gangubai Hangal Gurukul and ‘bhoomi puja' for the four-lane road between Hubli and Dharwad, the police have earmarked parking spaces in the surrounding areas.

The Chief Minister will arrive in a special flight to Hubli on Saturday at 10.30 a.m. He will launch 40 new buses of the NWKRTC and then proceed to inaugurate the gurukul at Unakal. He will perform the ‘bhoomi puja' for the four-lane road project at noon and leave for Bidar at 2 p.m.

Those participating in the gurukul inauguration programme have to park their vehicles on the land belonging to Iranna Harakuni and Chennu Patil and the land next to J.K. School, according to the police.

Those participating in the ‘bhoomi puja' have to park their vehicles at the APMC yard, the police have said.

Work on four-lane road to be launched on Saturday

Work on four-lane road to be launched on Saturday
HUBLI, March 3, 2011 Staff Correspondent - The Hindu

The Rs. 177.73-crore project to link Hubli and Dharwad

 

Preparatory talks: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar speaking in Hubli on Wednesday. The four-lane road between Hubli and Dharwad, a longstanding demand of the residents of the twin cities, is another step closer to being realised with the bhoomi puja for the project to be performed on Saturday.

 

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and in charge of Dharwad district Jagadish Shettar told presspersons here on Wednesday that Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa would perform the bhoomi puja for the Rs. 177.73-crore project.

 

While the Centre has sanctioned Rs. 100 crore towards the project, the State Government's share is Rs. 77.73 crore. The tender had been finalised and the work order issued to the contractor.

 

Rapid transit system

 

As there was a proposal to have a World Bank-funded Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) between the twin cities, the contractor would work in coordination with the officials of the Directorate of Urban Transport; the four-lane road would be laid keeping in mind the requirements of the BRTS, Mr. Shettar said.

 

Two dedicated lanes would be required for the BRTS, which is a Rs. 500-crore project, making it a six-lane road. “However since the proposal is still in an initial stage, we will be implementing the four-lane project,” he said.

 

The Minister said a stretch of 19 km between Hosur Circle in Hubli and Jubilee Circle in Dharwad would be developed as part of the project. Of this, 13.75 km of concrete road would be laid between Naveen Hotel near Unakal Tank in Hubli and JSS College at Vidyagiri in Dharwad, he said.

 

Underpasses would also be constructed at Unakal, Navanagar and Bhairidevarakoppa, and an overbridge at Navalur.

 

Besides, junction improvement work would be taken up at the Jubilee Circle, Court Circle and NTTF Junction in Dharwad, and Hosur Circle in Hubli, Mr. Shettar said.

 

Afforestation

 

The Minister said the Forest Department had completed the survey on the number of trees to be felled to facilitate the road widening. A sum of Rs. 27.27 lakh had been paid to the department for afforestation.

 

Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Darpan Jain said the administration was also contemplating shifting the trees where possible.

 

The Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board had also been paid Rs. 2.84 crore to shift existing water supply lines along the route, Mr. Shettar added.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to perform the bhoomi puja
• A 19-km stretch to be developed as part of the project

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HDMC presents surplus budget

HDMC presents surplus budget

Hubli, March 1, 2011 Staff Correspondent - The Hindu

The Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation has passed a Rs. 1.12 crore surplus budget for 2011-12 fiscal at its general body meeting held here on Monday.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Tax, Finance and Appeals Vijayananada Shetty presented the budget. He said HDMC was expecting a revenue of Rs. 162.85 crore from various sources. And, its expenditure is estimated at Rs. 151.37 crore.

The major portion of 65.28 p.c. of the estimated revenue receipts is expected from revenue grants, contributions and subsidies that stand at Rs. 106.31 crore. Revenue from other sources include Rs. 67 lakh from assigned revenues and compensations (0.41 p.c.), Rs. 27 crore from tax revenue (16.58 p.c.), Rs. 23.87 crore from fee user charges and other charges (14.66 p.c.), Rs. 3.26 crore from rental income from the municipal properties (2 p.c.), Rs. 11.7 crore from other receipts (0.72 p.c.), Rs. 42 lakh from sales and hire charges (0.26 p.c.) and Rs. 15 lakh from interest/dividend earned (0.09 p.c.).

The budget has proposed to spend Rs. 60.06 crore on human resources development that forms 39.68 p.c. of the total estimated expenditure. Other expenditure includes Rs. 58.60 crore on operation and maintenance (38.71 p.c.), Rs. 6.38 crore on general expenditure (4.22 p.c.), Rs. 13.75 crore on social welfare, SC/ST, OBC welfare (9.08 p.c.), Rs. 12.31 corporation activities (8.13 p.c.) and Rs. 27 lakh as finance and interest charges (0.18 p.c.).

Mr. Shetty said the HDMC was expecting Rs. 60 crore salary grants and Rs. 22.58 crore from the State Finance Commission. While Rs. 2 crore had been released for the development of Aryabhata IT Park in Hubli, another additional grant of Rs. 2 crore was expected. And, Rs. 2 crore was expected from handing over the HDMC property to Karnataka State Law University and Rs. 4 crore grants was expected from the Union Government to develop the slaughter house, he said.

Maintenance

He said Rs. 3.10 crore has been set aside for the repair of major roads, Rs. 1.5 crore for repair of drains, Rs. 45.91 crore for new constructions and capital expenditure including Rs. 16 crore for road development, Rs. 1.15 crore for building construction and Rs. 1 crore for construction of footpaths. New underground drain will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 3.75 crore.

For maintenance of streetlights, Rs. 3.50 crore has been set aside while Rs. 2.50 crore has been set aside for installation of high-mass lights and streetlights.

For maintenance of drains, Rs. 1.51 crore has been set aside while Rs. 1.20 crore has been set aside for maintenance of underground drains.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• HDMC's expenditure estimated at Rs. 151.37 crore
• Allocation of Rs. 60.06 crore has been made for human resources development 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------