Bengaluru:  Urban Development Minister Byrati Basavaraj said that the Government has approved the ambitious Rs.350 crore Hale Unduwadi Water Project aimed at supplying regular drinking water from KRS Backwaters to many localities of the city and 92 surrounding villages.

Replying to a query by Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda and NR MLA Tanveer Sait during the Legislative Assembly Session here recently, Byrati Basavaraj said that 30 acres and 31 Guntas of additional land required for the project is yet to be handed over to KUWS&DB (Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board), which is the executing agency. The KUWS&DB has decided to directly purchase 92 acre of private land for the execution of the project, he added.

He further said, there were no plans to form an exclusive Water Board for Mysuru on the lines of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) at Bengaluru. Referring to Mysuru Master Plan-2031, Basavaraj said that the KUWS&DB is working out a plan for a comprehensive UGD system in accordance with the plan.

Referring to handing over of MUDA Layouts to MCC, the Minister said that 62 layouts developed by MUDA and 79 private layouts have been handed over to the MCC. Noting that only 79 of the 100 private layouts have been handed over to the MCC, he said that these layouts will be provided with all necessary infrastructure at the earliest.

Pointing out that a Bengaluru-based agency has carried out a survey of street lights in Mysuru, Basavaraj said that  street lighting will be taken up once the Government approves the Survey report.

He further said that at present, there are 56,218 street lights in MCC limits, out of which 53,382 are found working.