100 kilometres in 30 days: BBMP’s modest goal for pothole-filling

Engineers are hopeful of accomplishing the pothole-filling goal despite possible disruptions due to cyclonic conditions

Having missed multiple deadlines to fill potholes, the BBMP has set itself a rather modest goal of filling potholes in 100 kilometres in the next 30 days.

Engineers are hopeful of accomplishing the goal despite possible disruptions due to cyclonic conditions.

“We have already started work in several zones,” Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Engineer for Road Infrastructure B S Prahlad assured, adding that they are determined to asphalt 100 to 150 kilometres of roads though rains are playing spoilsport.

A recent analysis by the BBMP’s Road Infrastructure Department suggested nearly 75 out of 390 major roads spanning 1,114 kilometres are still punctuated with potholes. Going by the BBMP’s deadline, the civic body intends to complete at least half of the roads in a month.

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BBMP engineers claimed they started the work on October 20, but the pace has been inconsistent due to the rains. “We need at least 48 hours of dry, sunny weather for pothole-filling without which the quality of work will be affected,” an engineer said.

Though zones used approximately 25 to 30 truckloads of hot mix in September, officials could not use even a single load in October.

“We are gradually making a comeback in November and use at least two to four loads of hot mix a day,” engineers said.

Smart City roads

Following the BBMP’s recent letter to the Bengaluru Smart City Limited (BenSCL) on the poor quality of work and maintenance of roads in the vicinity of its project sites, BenSCL engineers identified six kilometres of Smart City roads with potholes. The BBMP pointed out potholes in four out of 10 roads maintained by BenSCL.

BenSCL MD Rajendra Cholan acknowledged that the pothole-filing work has been fast-tracked.

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