ADB, World Bank-funded highway project on cards

BANGALORE: The state government has decided to upgrade 3,411 km of state highways under the second phase of Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project (K-SHIP) over the next three years.The state Cabinet which met here on Thursday approved the project to be implemented at a cost of Rs 2,150 crore. While Rs 1,565 crore will be funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank will fund Rs 580 crore to the project.In the first phase of the K-SHIP, the state government had upgraded 2,385 km of state highways. The Cabinet also gave its approval for building a Traffic and Transport Management Centre (TTMC) at Hebbal in Bangalore on public private partnership basis.The Rs 250 crore TTMC will have commercial complex, parking and other facilities besides providing a 50-bus capacity shelter. The Ramky Constructions which has bagged the contract will run the TTMC for thirty years before handing it over to the government. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S  Sureshkumar and Higher Education Minister V S Acharya briefed the media on the decisions.OTHER DECISIONS■ To increase the subsidy to be given to fishermen for purchasing life-saving  equipment to 90 per cent in case of SC and ST and to 75 per cent for others■ To release Rs 2 crore to the Fisheries Federation towards the disbursement of 3 per cent loan to fishermen■ To increase state government‘s assistance to Rs 60,000 for Ashraya houses to fishermen■ To bring a few changes to the Maritime Board Bill pertaining to its restructuring■ To waive off Rs 150 crore bad debts of the Karnataka State Finance Corporation