Sidewalk or an obstacle course?

 The BBMP has claimed to have completed asphalting and sidewalk-strengthening project under the JnNURM at a cost of Rs 54 crore in 2009 in and around M G Road. But the ground reality is just the opposite: None of these roads has sidewalk that is pedestrian-friendly, and side drains are blocked with debris in most places.

Sidewalks have been a complete mess for the last many years. Many of them have turned into death traps, with concrete slabs laid on culverts missing at several places.

The BBMP had entrusted the project to the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd, formerly the Karnataka Land Army Corporation, in 2006. Prominent among the roads included in the project were Church Street, Ulsoor Main Road, Magrath Road, Primrose Road, Brunton Road, Vittal Malya Road, Lavelle Road and Mysore Road (from Sirsi Circle to Bangalore University campus). A major portion of the project was completed in the same year, according to official records.

Surprisingly, NCPE, the third party monitoring agency appointed in 2009, has in its evaluation report stated that the works were done as per the stipulated standards. It laid the blame squarely on the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation for subsequently damaging the roads.