BBMP gets 10-day deadline to fill potholes

Bengaluru: A 10-day deadline has been set by Revenue Minister R Ashok to BBMP to fill the potholes on the city's arterial roads. Though BBMP engineers have repaired pothole-ridden roads at several places in the city, there are still quite a lot of stretches that need immediate attention.

The Revenue Minister held a meeting with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials on filling potholes. He said, "Earlier, I had set a deadline of September 30 to fill all the potholes.

In fact, I had personally visited many sites. The plant which supplies hot mix used to supply 16 loads every day. Officials have told me that due to heavy rainfall, the supply was disrupted for 12 days. As a result, the potholes could not be fixed on time."

Noting that so far potholes have been filled on 246-km major stretches, he said overall, there are 13,874 km roads in BBMP limits. Of this, 1,344 km roads are categorised as arterial and sub-arterial.

He added, of them, 895 km are in good condition, while 449 km roads have been partially damaged. "I have asked the officials to fill the potholes on all the major roads within 10 days. To increase the hot mix supply, we have instructed the officials to ensure 30 loads every day."

"Currently, we are getting supply from only one agency and we will look for another one as well. For the other roads, local contractors will be used to fill the potholes in the next 20 to 25 days, said Ashok.

In 110 villages, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is laying pipe and sewage lines. "The State government has released Rs 1,000 crore to asphalt the roads for which tenders have been called. These roads will be repaired in the next 20 to 30 days. We will also blacklist contractors if there is poor quality works."

Ashoka also said that BBMP had already conducted a survey and identified 185 buildings as dilapidated which need to be demolished.

"So far, 10 such buildings have been razed. Now, I have asked the BBMP to issue notices and demolish the remaining dilapidated buildings. We will ask the Bangalore Electric Supply Co (BESCOM) to disconnect power to such buildings," he said.

"I have also asked officials not to permit construction of buildings by digging up land deep without a safety wall as it will endanger the neighbouring buildings. If the corporation personnel demolish the building, the owner has to bear the cost."