Repair roads or face action, minister tells engineers

District in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy has warned the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineers of action if condition of the important roads in the City is not improved within a week.

The minister, accompanied by Mayor Sathyanarayana and Commissioner M Lakshminarayana, inspected Old Madras Road, Richmond Road and Ulsoor Road on Friday. On noticing craters on these roads, Reddy said that repeated warnings seem to have had no impact on the engineers and hence, stern action will have to be initiated against them if they fail to act.

However, the minister later said incessant rains for the past few days have hampered the Palike’s plans to carry out asphalting .

“Once the rain stops, we will start work in November,” he added.

On lack of co-ordination between the BBMP and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), he said: “The BWSSB causes maximum damage to the roads by digging them up stealthily for laying pipelines,” said Reddy.

He said that of the total Rs 560 crore earmarked for improving the City roads, the State government has sanctioned Rs 130 crore, which will be utilised on an urgent basis to improve 18 major roads. The Palike will develop roads on the lines of Vittal Mallya Road with ducts so that the BWSSB cannot damage them anymore.

Protest against BSY

The Congress will stage a protest displaying black flags to former chief minister Yeddyurappa wherever he goes, until he apologises for addressing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the singular, said the minister.