The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which has been receiving flak for its delay in filling potholes, spent Rs 23 crore to asphalt 14 km of roads ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s short visit to Bengaluru.
The roads that were developed are Kengeri to Kommaghatta (7 km), Mysuru Road (0.15 km), a stretch after the Hebbal flyover (2.4 km), and Tumakuru Road (0.90 km) and roads in the Bengaluru University campus (3.6 km).
The civic body also used the grants to repair the median, fix street lights and paint roads and kerbs.
Interestingly, the quality of work executed on the 14 km stretch was far better than the BBMP’s regular road repair work. Ravindra P N, special commissioner (projects), BBMP, told reporters that asphalting roads is part of the protocol ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit.
“The PM’s visit was confirmed to us by the state government 15 days ago. We used the funds under the discretionary use of the Chief Commissioner for the work. The approval was given by BBMP administrator (Rakesh Singh),” he said.
To a question on BBMP neglecting roads that are in a poor state, Ravindra said BBMP has so far fixed close to 14,500 potholes. “We have another 1,500 potholes to fix. The monsoon is delaying our exercise,” he said.
(Published 21 June 2022, 19:26 IST)
JOIN US