It's official: 90 pc of roads in B'luru substandard

The quality of roads in Bengaluru just cannot get worse. A report by the Quality Control Engineering (QCE) wing of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)states that more than 90 per cent of the roads are substandard.

Officials of the wing have inspected 189 works, executed between April and September, 2014, and found that 171 works did not conform to quality standards.
Following the report, Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash Adi has issued notice to BBMP commissioner and executive engineer (Quality Control) to furnish the statement of utilisation of funds during 2013-14 towards road works. Justice Adi has directed the BBMP commissioner to submit a report in person by January 7, 2015.

“If road work or any civil work is executed during rainy season, it may also amount to deliberately screening the evidence of substandard work. I have sought a report on the action initiated in pursuance of the report of the executive engineer of Quality Control,” Justice Adi said.

The QCE wing report says that of the road works inspected, only 9.52 per cent were approved as standard, while the remaining were substandard or inferior. It said that use of substandard construction materials was also the reason for pathetic condition of the roads.

“The office of the Quality Control has not recommended action against the engineers or contractors concerned for substandard works. Besides, the BBMP has not initiated any action in this regard. These 189 works were executed within a span of six months and that too during rainy season. It is not known why rainy season is chosen for executing asphalting work,” Justice Adi said.

Irregularities

Saidatta, president of the Karnataka Janahita Vedike, had filed a complaint with the Upa Lokayukta alleging irregularities in road works taken up by BBMP during 2013-14. The complaint said that the BBMP had spent nearly Rs 1,000 crore on development and construction of roads.

However, none of the roads is of standard quality. Saidatta has provided a copy of the QCE report, along with the complaint, and has blamed contractors, BBMP officials and local political leaders for the substandard works.

He said that the officials had misappropriated funds by clearing bills for substandard works. The complainant stated that the BBMP commissioner had not taken any action on the complaint filed in this regard by the Opposition Leader in the BBMP Council.