In its rush to give city roads a makeover, the BBMP has dug up even Hosur Road and West of Chord Road, which were in good condition , regrets Prof. M N Sreehari, advisor to the state government on traffic and infrastructure.
Entirely in sympathy with the people for the inconvenience caused, he says the police has done its best, providing an alternate road to divert the traffic, wherever possible while the BBMP does its work on white-topping roads on a war footing, but in other areas commuters are suffering.
“White topping is not like laying tar roads which can be done within a week. Here the laid concrete has to be allowed to cure for over two months. The quality of the road will be directly proportional to the level of curing and the quality of the material used," he explains, pointing out that if the work had been taken up four years ago, it could have been planned better.
“If the work had been taken up four years ago, it would not have affected anyone. Such major work should be taken up in a phased manner and not in a hurry just a few months before the elections,” Prof. Sreehari adds.
Regretting that the whole city has been reduced to a construction site for this “election makeover," Mr Sridhar Pabbisetty, chief executive officer of Namma Bengaluru Foundation, asks pertinently.”
"If all the major arterial roads are closed for traffic while it white tops them, how does the BBMP expect people to commute ?
Calling the project a desperate measure to win over urban voters in the run- up to the assembly elections, he says," The BBMP has suddenly woken up from its deep slumber. Didn't it know that the roads were pothole- ridden all these years?”
The activist underlines the BBMP needs to strictly monitor the laying of these new roads and hold the contractor responsible should they be damaged within the maintenance period for their long term durability.
