Communications and Information Technology Minister Dayanidhi Maran has taken the complaints of Bangalore-based IT companies about poor infrastructure seriously. Conveying the fears raised by the firms, Maran, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has suggested that Rs 500 crore be allotted under the Central Scheme for Critical Infrastructure (CSCI) to the city, considering it a special case.In the letter, Maran stated that Silicon Valley alone accounted for Rs 27,400 crore worth of software export from Bangalore, but it may no longer be the same unless the infrastructure was improved. Even as the city attracts more IT companies, the existing ones complain that the infrastructure was too poor for their survival, Maran said. Some of them have threatened to relocate to other cities, Maran has written, adding, ‘‘If this happens, it will be a big setback to our IT industry and hamper our efforts to become an IT superpower.’’He said that the lack of road infrastructure was visible from the overcrowding and the traffic jams even during low-traffic hours.Maran’s letter mentions the need for more flyovers. ‘‘In the first phase, 50 more flyovers can ease congestion considerably,’’ he said.Maran suggested that the city being an IT hub, the case be considered special. The allotment of Rs 500 crore would help in adding to the efforts being taken by the state government, he said. A group of Central Government departments, including the IT department, could monitor the work undertaken using the special allotment, he suggested.
