CAG Report No. 11 of 2025 — Implementation of Smart City Mission, Government of Karnataka

Chapter-II
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pedestrian walkways. The status of progress of projects under the above
intervention as of June 2024 is given in Table 2.5.
Table 2.5: Physical and financial progress under Transport and Mobility
as of June 2024
Sl.No Smart City No of Projects Financial progress
(₹ in crore)
Total Completed Ongoing Project Cost Expenditure
1 Belagavi 44 40 4 578.50 549.26
2 Bengaluru 15 15 0 516.59 501.86
3 Davanagere 32 31 1 475.49 369.48
4 Hubballi-Dharwad 7 7 0 224.40 215.08
5 Mangaluru 19 8 11 419.21 295.65
6 Shivamogga 22 20 2 554.42 507.46
7 Tumakuru 29 25 4 450.13 402.05
Grand Total 168 146 22 3,218.74 2,840.84
Source: Information furnished by Smart Cities
Test check of 40 out of 168 (24 per cent) projects under the above intervention
revealed the following:
2.4.1 Provision of utility network in roads
Improving urban road network was the first logical step towards improving
urban mobility. The SCP of the smart cities aimed to develop smart road (i.e., a
road designed to include smooth vehicular flow, prioritise pedestrian
movement, integrated essential utilities) project as per the Tender SURE14
guidelines. The Tender SURE Guidelines aimed at solving issues of non-
usability of road network due to frequent civil works undertaken by multiple
utility agencies to provide underground utilities viz., water supply, telecom
lines, power lines, sewage etc., which were haphazardly laid.
Audit examined the DPRs of seven smart cities and it was seen that except
Bengaluru Smart City (BenSCL), the utility ducts provided by other SPVs in
their smart road projects did not make provision for certain utility ducts viz.,
water supply, sewerage network, storm water drainage, HT and LT lines, OFC
and gas pipeline. This necessitated frequent digging up of the carriageway of
the road for laying the above utility lines. During JPV (BBMP and SSCL in
September-2022)15. Audit observed that digging up of smart roads for
laying/maintenance of utility lines by SSCL and construction of foot bridge by
BBMP without informing BenSCL, violated SCM/Tender SURE guidelines
(Exhibit 2.1 and 2.2).
14 Tender SURE (Specifications for Urban Roads Execution) street design guidelines were
prescribed to fix urban roads in terms of underground utilities and grade mobility for all
forms of transport.
15 Old JPV picture retained to show the step taken by SSCL for maintenance of utility line.
Currently, the hole has been filled and is no longer visible.