Bengaluru: The state cabinet on Thursday granted approval for a 16.7 km tunnel road — dubbed the North-South Corridor — linking Esteem Mall at Hebbal Junction to Central Silk Board Junction in HSR Layout.The project cost is estimated to be ₹17,780 crore.After the cabinet meeting, deputy CM D K Shivakumar said the govt will float a global tender and decide on either a hybrid or BOOT (build–own–operate–transfer) model once technical reviews are completed.“The CM [Siddaramaiah] and I will meet to finalise the procurement model,” he added.Law minister H K Patil said the project will be executed in three years in two packages with multiple two to three-lane entries and exits.Rs 4,792 Cr for waste managementThe cabinet also approved a project to collect and transport garbage within BBMP limits. This project will be implemented in 33 packages over seven years at a estimated cost of Rs 4,792 crore.Previously, during the BJP tenure, 98 packages were tendered for waste management in the city. Some individuals approached the court, which dismissed their plea and directed a final decision within four months.“We are moving forward with one package per constituency and two in the larger constituencies, totalling 33 packages for waste management. We will float tenders soon,” said Shivakumar.In the new project, the bidder will be responsible for waste segregation, vehicle management, and separation of construction waste.Interest waived on BDA site lease In another major decision, the cabinet has allowed BDA to waive interest on the pending lease amount. Shivakumar said many organisations, temples, institutions, govt-owned fuel stations, and others have taken civic amenity (CA) sites on lease. However, many of them have failed to pay the full lease amount, and the accumulated interest.The govt has decided to introduce a one-time settlement plan for such defaulters. Owners of such plots can now clear the lease amount within 120 days from the day the order is issued and claim interest waiver.No decision on caste census report Discussions in the cabinet on the social and educational survey, commonly known as the caste census, remained inconclusive, law minister H K Patil said.A previous cabinet meeting on May 10 had also failed to come to a decision.Airstrip proposals for C’magaluru, KodaguInfrastructure development minister M B Patil has directed officials to place before the state cabinet a proposal, seeking Rs 17.6 crore for land acquisition for an airstrip in Chikkamagaluru.At a meeting chaired by Patil and attended by district in-charge minister K J George, airstrip projects for Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu were discussed.BOX 1Speaker likely to revoke suspension of BJP MLAsAssembly speaker U T Khader is set to lift the six-month suspension of 18 BJP MLAs, before departing for Haj on May 26. Chief minister Siddaramaiah met Khader on Thursday, and both agreed to revoke the order, which was imposed on March 21 for alleged unruly behaviour by the members during the budget session, as they demanded a judicial probe into an alleged allegation of “honey-trap” involving some of the members.Legal experts have advised Khader to withdraw the suspension provisionally on the CM’s recommendation, with a formal resolution to follow in the monsoon session. The cabinet authorised Siddaramaiah to finalise the revocation after consulting Khader.BOX 2BJP MLC alleges intimidation by Cong workersLeader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Thursday petitioned governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, alleging he was intimidated and heckled by unidentified miscreants and Congress workers during a visit to Chittapur in Kalaburagi district on Wednesday.He claimed the mob also smeared ink on his official vehicle and accused local police of inaction.Narayanaswamy had travelled to Kalaburagi to participate in a BJP event to mark the release of a chargesheet against the Congress govt. Congress workers allegedly objected to his remarks about AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and minister Priyank Kharge, claiming he used a derogatory Kannada proverb.Narayanaswamy alleged the mob hurled abuses and confined him to the circuit house for six hours, even as police personnel remained evasive and unresponsive.