BBMP revisits white-topping after 'rapid road' experiment fails

With the failure of the BBMP’s ‘rapid road’ experiment in Old Madras Road near Indiranagar, the government wants to undertake white-topping using the old method.

In a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reportedly consented to the third phase of the white-topping project tendered in 2019.

The third phase of the project comprising 89 roads was estimated at Rs 1,155 crore as per the 2019 tenders. It has now been revised to Rs 1,429 crore to fit the 2022-23 scheduled rates (SR).

Tendered during H D Kumaraswamy’s tenure, the third phase was put in cold storage by the B S Yediyurappa’s government. After Bommai took over the reins of the state government, many letters had been exchanged between the BBMP and the Urban Development Department (UDD) regarding undertaking new set of roads for white-topping.

Sources said Bommai issued instructions to revive the third phase in a meeting attended by select officers. The formal orders are yet to be issued. It is learnt that the chief minister approved considering the lowest bidder selected during the 2019 tender process.

Sources said Bommai gave the instructions to revive the third phase of white-topping in a meeting where only select officers were present. The formal order has however not been issued yet. It’s learnt that the chief minister gave directions to consider the lowest bidders who were selected through a tender process in 2019.

To a query, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Bommai has only asked the BBMP Chief Commissioner to put up the file for consideration. “Nothing is final,” the officer in charge said.

37 roads recently tarred

Out of the 89 roads identified for white-topping, nearly 37 were recently tarred and are under the Defect Liability Period (DLP).

The BBMP’s September 2022 letter to the UDD revealed 20 roads are proposed for development in 2022-23. “Only 32 roads can be white-topped,” the letter, written by BBMP’s Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, had stated.Girinath, in the letter, proposed the approval of a fresh grant of Rs 1,450 crore to white-top roads.

The BBMP is currently handling completion of the first and second phase of white-topping projects approved during Siddaramaiah’s tenure. Both phases are nearing completion.