New white-top roads after finishing pending work

The traffic police have rejected the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's request for permission to take up new roads for white-topping in the city. White-topping involves giving the roads a concrete surface.

According to BBMP officials, the traffic police have reasoned that with no alternative roads, white-topping work is leading to major traffic jams. The police have advised the Palike to complete the ongoing work and seek permission for white-topping new roads.

The civic body had put the white-topping work on hold due to the election code of conduct. As many as 27 roads, including 97 km of the Outer Ring Road, have been chosen for white-topping. So far, only 9.5 km work has been completed, including one side of Mysuru Road, Chord Road near Vijayanagar, Goraguntepalya to Jalahalli on Tumakuru Road, Nagawara Outer Ring Road, Hosur Road, Koramangala and parts of Basavanagudi.

"We had planned to take up work on the pending stretches and also the ongoing stretches. But the traffic police have refused permission for new stretches and directed us to complete the ongoing work soon," a senior BBMP official said.

The BBMP had aimed to complete the white-topping project by September 2018, but the work is progressing at a snail's pace.

R Hithendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told DH: "At the recent coordination meeting, we directed the BBMP to complete 100% of the ongoing white-topping work, following which we will give permission for the new stretches, that too in phases."

"If the BBMP takes up work on all roads simultaneously, it will be difficult to manage traffic. For instance, there is no alternative to the Mysuru Road stretch. How will the commuters get around?" he said.