Rising public opposition to white-topping notwithstanding, the BBMP is all set to take up concretising of roads outside its jurisdiction, amid concerns of losing the funds it received from the government.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will undertake white-topping of a three-km stretch — along the Hosakote-Kadugodi-Anekal Road — that belongs to the Public Works Department (PWD) in lieu of the funds allotted for the Dinnur-ITPL and Belatthur roads.
The civic body, which had to take up concretising work along the Dinnur-ITPL and Belatthur roads (2.8 km) under white-topping Package 2, wrote to the government to divert it to the Hoskote-Kadugodi-Anekal Road, considering the metro and other infrastructure works of two roads sanctioned earlier under the package.
Later, Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali wrote to the BBMP, requesting to take up the work along the Hosakote-Kadugodi-Anekal Road (3 km) in his jurisdiction, saying the work will help over 10,000 vehicles commuting to IT companies.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara recently gave his nod considering it a special case, even after objection from the Urban Development Department (UDD).
“Despite MLA Arvind Limbavali’s letter, BBMP was not keen to take up work outside its ambit. But the proposal gained momentum after an urban expert urged the government to take up the same. The expert owns property along the road. However, there were objections as the PWD itself could undertake the work. The BBMP has messed up white-topping of city roads with work advancing at a snail’s pace. When we don’t have time for city roads, is this our priority? Is it really necessary to go outside the city for this work,” a disgruntled BBMP official told DH.
K T Nagaraj, chief engineer, Project Central, said there was indeed a proposal, but he didn’t know whether it has been approved or not.
“MLA Limbavali wrote a letter, apart from urban expert R K Misra requesting the same be pursued. But it does not mean that it is going to help only them. This will help thousands of vehicles. There is nothing wrong in us pursuing it. This is not the BBMP funds, but the Karnataka government’s money. So, we have to take up work when they ask us to,” he told DH.
Meanwhile, when DH contacted Misra, he refused to comment.
According to Nagaraj, the work may cost about Rs 25 crore along the three-km Hosakote-Kadugodi-Anekal stretch.
