As BBMP reboots white topping, commuters dread gridlock

Bengaluru: With white topping comes traffic snarls. The BBMP has got the required approvals from the traffic police to resume white topping of roads between Hebbal and Hennur and Nayandahalli and Sumanahalli. The work will commence from August 27 and the BBMP has requested the public to bear with the inconvenience with a punch-line, "30 days of pain is 30 years of gain."

But cabbies, auto drivers and other regular commuters are worried that they will have to spend longer time on roads because of white topping works.

“Already, the traffic in the city is a mess. We leave our homes early and reach back late because of traffic. Adding to our daily woes will be these traffic diversions,” said Mr Balu, a techie who commutes to his office in Hebbal from K.R. Puram every day.

Traffic expert M.N. Srihari said that the traffic police department agreed to the project as the BBMP kept applying pressure. “But the quality of the alternative roads should be good to bear the diversions, otherwise it will sure lead to chaos,” he warned.

“The average speed of vehicles in the city has been coming down and it has now hit single digits. For example, vehicles on Outer Ring Road, between K.R. Puram and Silk Board, move at 5-6 kmph. If traffic is diverted from Ring Road to interior roads, those alternative stretches at least should be in good condition,” he said.

White topping is a good idea, but the BBMP is still using the old method of curing concrete for 30 days, while newer technologies have emerged. “Many chemical compounds are available which can cure concrete in a day or two. But BBMP officials are still stuck to the good old days of curing concrete for weeks. This method has been done away with and in many advanced countries, they lay concrete roads in just a day,” he explained.