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Bengaluru road asphalted for Modi's visit peels off in 2 days; PMO seeks answer from Bommai govt

The civic body recently claimed that ahead of Modi’s visit, it had spent Rs 23 crore to redo 14 km of roads
Last Updated 24 June 2022, 02:18 IST

A video that shows near-instant deterioration of Bengaluru roads that were newly asphalted to smoothen the travel of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy during his recent visit has gone viral. Embarrassed by this infrastructure failure, the Prime Minister’s Office has sought a report from the Karnataka state government.

Modi was in the state capital as a part of his two-day Karnataka visit.

Officials from the PMO called the Chief Minister’s Office on Thursday, and asked the CMO to submit a report of the incident immediately, sources in the CMO said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was in the national capital in connection with the Presidential elections, directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to submit an explanation. The CM also directed BBMP Commissioner Tushar Girinath to take action against the officials responsible for the shoddy road works.

The civic body recently claimed that ahead of Modi’s visit, it had spent Rs 23 crore to redo 14 km of roads, including stretches of Mysuru Road and Ballari Road, in the city.

According to the BBMP, the seven km long road from Kengeri to Kommaghatta was asphalted at a cost of Rs 6 crore, and PM Modi travelled on this stretch during his visit.

However, visuals of this stretch, specifically Jnanabharti Main Road, peeling off like paint went viral on social media two days after his visit. The BBMP claimed that the stretch of the road caved in after a spell of overnight rain.

The state government is preparing to hold BBMP elections soon and the CM holds the portfolio of the Bengaluru Urban Development. With the objective to win BBMP elections, Modi was invited to the IT city to launch infrastructure projects worth Rs 30,000 crore, including the sub-urban railways.

The poor condition of infrastructure in Bengaluru city has also incurred public wrath, as well as industrialists’ condemnation. Even the Karnataka High Court pulled up the BBMP and directed the civic authority to fill up potholes at the earliest.

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(Published 23 June 2022, 17:33 IST)

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