Bengaluru Development Minister K J George inspects Church Street

Bengaluru Development Minister K J George on Thursday took the BBMP officials to task for the slow pace of TenderSURE project on Church Street and directed them to carry out the work in three shifts instead of one.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is constructing the TenderSURE road on Church Street at an estimated cost of Rs nine crores. The work started in February this year and was supposed to finish by June 1. The road has been dug up to lay sanitary pipes and other utilities where sewage is getting stagnated and has turned it into a pedestrians' nightmare.

Following complaints about the snail pace of work, George accompanied by Mayor G Padmavathi, BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad and other Palike officers visited Church Street.

Giving the officials an earful, the minister said, “There is not much progress even after so many days of starting the work. Being a business area, this street had always been full of hustle bustle. Delay in the work will not be tolerated. Let the work happen round the clock. Serve notices on the shops and other business establishments who are letting the sewage into the trench dug up for utilities.”

Responding quickly, the engineers directed the contractor to start the work in three shifts and finish it at the earliest.

Later speaking to reporters, he said the work has delayed but by August 1, the TenderSURE road would be ready for public use.

The Minister also visited Kino Theatre where the BBMP is laying a 820-metre pipeline till a stormwater drain near Mantri Mall to drain out water accumulating there during rainy season. So far 500 metres of pipe has been laid and rest will be completed. The Palike has requested the traffic police to block traffic for two days on the stretch to complete the project.

George said, “Once the permission is granted, the work would finish at the earliest.” The Minister also laid the foundation for development works at Kalasipalya at an estimated cost of Rs one crore.