JOIN USIn this city, constantly on the look-out for mega projects, a freshly asphalted road is just a mirage. For, under every tarred road lies a leaky water pipe or a faulty sewage line that will be repaired only after project asphalt is done and dusted. Say goodbye to a coordinated, well-planned, multi-agency effort.
There was a time when residents harboured a faint ray of hope that road works would give their localities an upgrade. But now, citizens dread it as the roads are often left at the mercy of another civic agency to dig deep, to repair a line long forgotten!
Billed as a model of quality and transparency in tendering, the TenderSURE roads were expected to last long and be untouched by the diggers. Yet, to repair a leaking water line, BWSSB dug up an aesthetically laid out junction on St Mark’s Road.
Other TenderSURE roads such as Richmond Road, Residency Road and Cunningham Road too have had to deal with them. The constant alibi: To clear clogged drains underneath.
Restoration not priority
At Herohalli (ward no 72), the BWSSB had dug up the Ullal Main Road stretch from Bharathnagar to Ullal a few months back. Reason: To take a water/ sewage line from one side of the road to other. But even after the road work was completed, no action was taken by the board or the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to restore the battered road.
Janardhana Reddy, a resident of Herohalli, puts this in perspective. He says: “We have understood that BBMP and BWSSB will never coordinate and work together to benefit the citizens. The BBMP should ensure that the agencies which dig up roads restore the stretches once the works are completed. If they don’t, heavy fine should be slapped against them by the municipal corporation."
Accident
Hebbal resident, Pranesh R points out that he has witnessed many minor accidents involving motorists along the service road on KR Puram to Hebbal flyover stretch. He blames the negligent attitude of BWSSB in restoring the service road where sewage pipeline works were undertaken a few weeks ago.
The roads from Rajarajeshwari Nagar towards Nayandahalli, where the Metro line linking Nayandahalli and Kengeri is coming up, has also been dug up by various agencies - BMRCL, BBMP and BWSSB. These works, in the name of shifting of utilities, have left the road in a shabby condition.
BBMP Chairperson of Standing Committee for Ward-level Works, D Chandrappa admits that the road cutting is taking place haphazardly. He adds that it is the duty of BBMP ward engineers to initiate action against the agencies for not restoring the roads.
Coordination issues
Mayor G Padmavathi says the Palike has made online road-cutting permission mandatory. “We have introduced an online portal - BBMP Road Cutting System, wherein government agencies can submit requests for road cutting permissions.”
Citizen can make requests for availing domestic utility services such as water and power connections. “We are taking strict action against the agencies who fail to restore the roads coming under BBMP limits by imposing penalty depending on the extent of damage," she adds.
BWSSB, on the other hand, says the Board has started making payments to the Palike for road restoration works and have been seeking permission for road cutting online since a year.
No expertise
BWSSB Engineer-in-Chief Kemparamaiah had this to say to DH: “We do not have expertise among our contractors who can restore roads like BBMP does. Hence, we have started handing over money to the Palike for the road damage and restoration works. Our zonal engineers are working closely with the Palike for road cutting activity," he adds.
According to Kemparamaiah, if there is a water leakage on the main road, then they do not have any other option but to fix it. “And for that, we need to dig up the road. The Palike gets grants under road repair works but we do not. Still, we are doing our best to restore the roads."
Coordinating panels
In 2015, the Palike had decided to form two coordinating committees to ensure civic agencies do not take up unnecessary digging, especially of newly laid roads. It was proposed to form one committee under the chairmanship of chief secretary to take a call on major infrastructure-related projects. Another committee, led by the BBMP commissioner and comprising representatives from Bescom, BWSSB and BBMP, was proposed.
BBMP higher officials say that the committees have not been formed so far and they will think about forming them in the coming months.