JOIN USPotholes more than double to 33,621 since last week
Continuous rain and increased moisture in the air have forced the BBMP to stop filling the city’s numerous potholes, just three days after it resumed the work. The civic body claims it will repair the battered roads by October 15, though the number of potholes has more than doubled since last week.
On Friday, the BBMP released the latest count of potholes in the city. There are 33,621 potholes now, up from around 15,000 last week and almost a four-fold increase from around 9,000 three weeks ago. The BBMP claims it has already filled 16,978 potholes.
BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said the nature of bitumen and asphalt would not allow filling of potholes under wet conditions as the mixture could not bind the existing surface effectively.
The BBMP will spend 10% of the funds allocated for developmental works to fill potholes in each ward. Old wards get Rs 2 crore and new ones Rs 3 crore for developmental works. Accordingly, a total of Rs 46.5 crore will be spent on filling potholes in 198 wards. To complete the works faster, the BBMP will carry them out under section 4G of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act.
Prasad further said the potholes would be filled as per the specifications of the Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways. Roads that have crossed the defect liability period will also be repaired with Python machines.
Meanwhile, the rising number of potholes coupled with heavy rains have made commuting a nightmare for people. What adds to the problem is that many streets are poorly lit at night. Vehicle users find it hard to ascertain if there are back-breaking potholes on the flooded streets.
Several motorists and other road users raised this complaint.
Ramakrishna M, an auto-rickshaw driver, said: “With this rainfall, it is difficult to make out the road and the pothole. Sometimes I go ahead thinking it’s just water which has clogged but it turns out to be a deep crater. My passengers complain of bumpy rides. I hope the problem is solved soon.”
Another commuter, Prakash R, fears many more fatal accidents if the authorities do not act fast. “It takes more time to travel on these waterlogged and potholed roads. It’s a pain to ride on these days,” he said.
DH News Service