BBMP to asphalt 3,000 km of roads

We have our own batch mix plant which will be used to fill up the potholes, the engineer-in-chief of BBMP said

B S Prahlad, engineer-in-chief of BBMP, said the civic body has planned to completely asphalt nearly 3,000 km of roads in the next five months, which also coincides with the preparations for state assembly elections.

Citing the recent affidavit submitted to the High Court, Prahlad said the BBMP plans to asphalt 427 km of arterial roads in the next 90 dry days. “We have also received funds to fully tar 2,500 km of ward roads. The plan is to complete the work in the next five months. This is also the assurance we have given to the court,” he said.

Prahlad, however, admitted that the civic body does not have grants to asphalt all bad roads. “We have our own batch mix plant which will be used to fill up the potholes. We have given instructions to the ward engineers to submit the number of potholes identified and fixed. The data has been made available on our website,” he said.

He said the BBMP does follow the Indian Road Congress guidelines and asked citizens to raise complaints if they find problems in the quality of road works. He also blamed “heavy” construction activities and infrastructure works taken up by other government agencies for the poor condition of roads. “The work of Metro, BWSSB, BESCOM and GAIL has been leading to the poor upkeep of the roads,” he said.