Suvarna Soudha cost to exceed Rs 400 crore

BANGALORE: Construction costs of the Suvarna Soudha in Belgaum which would house the Legislature Secretariat, Assembly and Council hall is likely to exceed Rs 400 crore, said Minister for Public Works C M Udasi.
Refuting the allegation that his ministry recently decided to increase the construction cost of the structure by over Rs120 crore, the minister said that the additional cost would only be around Rs 2030 crore and not as reported by a section of the media.The Suvarna Soudha was estimated to be constructed at a cost of Rs 230 crore originally which was later revised to Rs 350 crore in 2009, following the decision to add a central hall to the approved project, said the minister. He averred that the total area of the building was redesigned from 12,613 sq m to 16,138 sq m a 30 per cent increase. The minister expressed confidence that the new Legislature enclave would be ready by September 2011.