The threat by IT firms to boycott the annual mega IT show here in October seems to have blown over after state government soothed their ruffled feelings on Thursday, promising a slew of short, medium and long term steps to upgrade infrastructure and remove traffic snarls.
At a meeting of the empowered committee to deliberate on problems of roads and other infrastructure -- at which chief secretary B K Das held talks with IT executives -- the government as a short-term measure assured that it would improve 19 arterial roads and complete the work on it by December-January.
The meeting also decided to bring out a white paper on long term policy initiatives to be implemented to improve infrastructure facilities by October end, it was announced.
The government assured that it would soon take up work on peripheral ring road to ease traffic congestion and complete the project in about five or six years.
Briefing reporters on the deliberations, Das described it as "very useful and meaningful and said it decided to take up road improvement in Bangalore Central, Airport road, Hosur-Sarjapur road and Koramangala on a priority basis."
The IT industry has also agreed to support infrastructure development projects, he said, a statement that was endorsed by top executives of the IT industry from Infosys, MphasiS, Software Technolgy Parks of India, HP Globalsoft, Bangalore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philips Software, WIPRO Technologies, Flextronics and others.
"The IT industry is willing to participate in the IT.in," Das said.