Mayor Reddy slams Palike engineers for messing up footpaths

Mayor B N Manjunatha Reddy is very unhappy with the way stone slabs have been laid on footpaths of major roads.

On Monday, he conducted a surprise inspection of St John’s Road and Brigade Road and took Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineers to task for using substandard stone slabs.

On St John’s Road, the mayor noticed that old stone slabs that were in good condition are being replaced by substandard ones for the construction of a road divider. Similarly, on Brigade Road, used stone slabs are being relaid on footpaths. He got furious and censured BBMP Executive Engineers (Road Infrastructure) M Kempegowda and Basavaraj Kabade.

“There are many roads which do not have footpaths and some of them have been damaged. Palike engineers should improve them. But you are removing good stone slabs and replacing them with bad ones that do not last long,” he said. “Who asked you to remove them?”

Reddy then instructed the engineers concerned to halt the work immediately or face disciplinary action. He also vowed to take up the matter with Palike Commissioner G Kumar Naik.

The mayor also inspected major water drains in Madiwala ward and found litter such as plastic bags, bottles and clothes thrown into them. He said the Palike would soon launch awareness programmes to educate residents about health hazards.