Stop laying pipes till roads are restored: BBMP to GAIL

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ordered Gas (India) Ltd (GAIL) to halt laying new pipelines till it restores the dug-up roads in Hebbal and the surrounding localities.

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad has written to Partha Jain, managing director, GAIL, Delhi on Thursday in this regard. “The standard operating specifications are not being followed, resulting in the road getting depressed and potholes creeping in. The residents have also complained about the shoddy work done by GAIL during the inspection...Therefore, I call upon you personally to supervise the road restoration work as per the standard operating specifications and rectify the same within 15 days and till such restoration is done you are requested to stop laying of new gas pipelines including road cutting, or else the BBMP will lodge a criminal complaint for the lapse in road restoration work,” reads the letter.

Residents of Hebbal, Muneshwara Nagar and Sanjaynagar have been facing a lot of problems since long stretches of roads in the locality have been dug-up.

Though GAIL has finished laying the pipes, the roads have not been restored. “Due to this, open holes pose a threat to senior citizens and children, especially at night,” said Vignan Gowda, a resident of Sanjay Nagar.

The dug-up roads and footpaths are causing a problem to motorists and pedestrians. “A lot of dust rises while driving. There are already enough complaints about the condition of roads in the city and GAIL’s work adds to the problem,” said another resident.

The gas pipeline work began early this year. It is a huge project for providing piped natural gas (PNG) to homes.

To provide relief to residents, Palike Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad and senior officials inspected Sanjay Nagar on Thursday morning and ordered GAIL to restore the road within 15 days. 

DH News Service