BBMP's asphalt plant shuts, lobby at work?

A BBMP plant that manufactured hot mix (asphalt) has been shut down, just four years after it was set up.

The sudden closure of the plant, located in Kannur in northeastern Bengaluru, has once again increased the BBMP’s dependence on contractors for fixing roads that need urgent repairs.

The hot mix facility is learnt to have come to a grinding halt three weeks ago due to a funds shortage.

Over the last few days, zonal engineers’ request for the quick supply of hot mix has been reportedly turned down, citing the plant’s closure. “We wanted to fill some potholes on roads that are not covered under the defect liability period but we are yet to get supply from the plant,” an engineer of BBMP’s south zone said. Engineers from the western and eastern zones shared a similar experience.

The civic body had relied on its own batch mix plant to repair roads that were in pathetic condition following the heavy rains in September and October last year. The plant was also active earlier this year to meet the increasing demand for filling potholes that had claimed many lives in accidents.

A source said the plant stopped working because only Rs 6 crore was allocated for running it in the 2021-21 budget.

Senior BBMP officials are tight-lipped about the matter.

“The plant has been closed down as almost all the potholes have been filled. There are about 600 km of roads that are covered under the defect liability period and it is the responsibility of the contractors to maintain them. We have not received any indent from engineers either,” a senior BBMP official said.

Even though the BBMP has its own plant, it’s learnt that the civic body has engaged hundreds of contractors for road repairs that cost as low as Rs 10 lakh.

Manjunath S, president of the Karnataka Rashtra Samithi (Bengaluru division), suggested the BBMP was “succumbing to pressure from contractors and elected representatives”.

“A lot of money could have been saved had the BBMP made the best use of its own plant. The bad roads can also be fixed quickly,” he said.

The plant’s sudden closure, he added, will only help private contractors get many works in the guise of repairing roads.