It's not the NH-60 for which people residing in northern region of Balasore have to face flood fury time and again, but the bridges on the NH, which have proved more a bane than a boon for people.

Pune, July 20 The Indian Society of Lighting Engineers (ISLE) in association with MIT Lighting Research Academy and CIRT. held a national workshop on street Lighting at CIRT Bhosari
The workshop was held to discuss various aspects of street lighting and suggest effective solutions for the benefit of the public at large.

Gunjan Pradhan Sinha NEW DELHI

LONG drives would be a taxing exercise soon. The government is planning to develop all future highways through build, operate and transfer (BOT) model that would necessarily have toll component. Private companies would be awarded road projects on BOT basis and they would charge a toll fee from commuters to recover their investments. About 50,000 km of roads are expected to be developed under various phases of the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) including new expressways, rail-overbridges, canal bridges, roads and highways.

The government is to borrow additional funds from the World Bank for several several development projects, a minister said.

Cabinet approved finance agreements with the IDA branch of the World Bank to get additional funding for the North East Housing Reconstruction Project (SDR 26.2 million), for the Road Sector Assistance Project (SDR 59.6 million) and for the Education Sector Development Project (SDR 6.1 million).

Damage of many roads during heavy monsoon showers of the past few days has left the capital's road infrastructure in a shabby state, causing problems to vehicular movement and sufferings to the people.
The condition of the roads in Uttara, Dhanmondi, Dakkhin Khan, Mohammadpur and some other areas are in a vulnerable state with potholes developing at many points, residents said.

Director of Planning and Implementation in Matale District P. Hewapathirana said under the national plan of Gama Neguma programme 204 projects were launched in 204 Grama Niladhari Divisions in Matale district during the year 2007.

In the first step 148 projects were started and in the second step 56 projects.

In this project, dilapidated roads, public buildings community hall and water supply schemes were repaired.

Government has allocated Rs. 158 million for setting up of rural development projects.

The World Bank said yesterday that it approved a credit of US$ 98 million from its concessionary lending arm, International Development Association (IDA) in additional finance to support the Sri Lankan government's efforts to improve its national highways, designed to lower transportation costs and travel times.

The additional finance will be mostly used to cover cost-overruns mainly due to the unprecedented oil price increase in the world market that has led to the escalation of prices in oil-based materials, a press release from WB said.

For small-town India to become big, it will have to boast that it doesn't want to be another Shanghai.

K. Manikandan

Poor roads, illegal water connections, delayed projects hinder growth

SHADOW OF WATERBODY: Many waterbodies in Pallavaram Municipality are in dire need of rejuvenation. A case in point is the Ramasamy Kulam near Pallavaram Railway Station.

TAMBARAM: Pallavaram Municipality presents a unique, contrary picture of massive development works in progress and deteriorating condition of civic amenities.

MCD chief warns junior officials of strict disciplinary action if they fail The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has ordered disciplinary action against negligent junior officials, who fail to act on complaints of potholes on roads within 24 hours of getting them. The move comes in the wake of potholes becoming a major concern following numerous complaints and criticism, and a standing committee meeting today. MCD chief K S Mehra specified that Junior Engineers in each ward will attend to complaints filed by residents within 24 hours.

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