Brand Bengaluru: No focus on pothole repair

 The project to plant 2 lakh saplings under the ‘Green Bengaluru’ concept has not been launched

Brand Bengaluru: No focus on pothole repair

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: Although ₹450 crore has been allocated in the budget for 225 wards to repair potholes on roads, potholes on BBMP ward roads continue to increase.

Under the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ concept, works to keep the city’s roads in good condition were also announced in the budget under the ‘Sugama Sanchar Bengaluru’ scheme. Apart from main and sub-main roads, funds were allocated for the development of ward roads. However, potholes remain.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had given a deadline of 15 days to repair potholes before leaving for a foreign trip last September. On this occasion, the Chief Commissioner, Zonal Commissioners, Joint Commissioners and Principal Engineers, including the Chief Commissioner, went out on the roads for a few nights and supervised the repair of potholes. Shivakumar had also submitted a report to him.

Although the main roads are somewhat better, the ward roads are in a very bad condition. The officials keep making excuses that ‘tenders have been called and the repair work will be done’. They are not paying much attention to the repair of the potholes. The repair work will be done only after the tender processes are completed as per its norms and work orders are issued.

‘Exhibition’ in the science laboratory

In the ‘Education Bangalore’ concept, ₹45 crore was allocated in the budget to provide high-tech facilities to BBMP schools. The intention was to set up a computer lab, an information science laboratory, and e-libraries. The school staff themselves are saying that ‘although computers have come to some schools, they have not come with the necessary equipment. Although smart boards have been installed, there is no staff to use them’.

The materials required for the science laboratory have reached some schools. But the consent of senior officials has not been received for their use. Thus, they are arranged like ‘display dolls’. The plan to set up ‘school gardens’ in primary and high schools has not yet been launched.

‘Green Bengaluru’

Under the ‘Green Bengaluru’ scheme, it was intended to green the city by planting two lakh saplings in the city. A scheme was launched in June to give children the responsibility of maintaining saplings during Environment Day. Later, that too failed and all the saplings withered. Tenders have been called for planting and maintaining the saplings at the end of the financial year. The forest department is planning to spend more than ₹3,000 per sapling. However, the bold program of planting lakhs or thousands of saplings has not been done yet.

DCM said engineers cannot be trusted

‘I cannot believe the report given by the engineers. I have repaired my college-age bike and I will inspect the roads on the bike,’ said Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar while inspecting the pothole repair work on major roads for a couple of hours (September 2024). Later, he did not come for inspection. Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath had said, ‘More than a thousand potholes are being created every day. Repair is a continuous process. A pothole-free road is impossible.’ Later, pothole repair has become a priority.

Budget that has not reached the people: Basavaraju

‘Since there are no corporators in BBMP, the budget required by the officials has been presented. It has not reached the common people. Although it is said that thousands of crores have been spent on road work, they have not been able to close the potholes. They are not providing the basic facilities that the people need,’ complained A.H. Basavaraju, former leader of the BBMP ruling party. 

Budget allocation for 2024-25

₹150 crore – Clean Bengaluru

• ₹100 crore – Land acquisition for waste treatment
• ₹10 crore – Public toilets
• ₹10 crore – Solid waste management equipment
• ₹30 crore – Sweeper

₹450 crore for 225 wards

• ₹30 lakh each for drainage, maintenance
• ₹15 lakh each for pothole closure
• ₹25 lakh each for footpath maintenance
• ₹5 lakh each for maintenance of monsoon control room
• ₹1.25 crore each for development works

₹50 crore – Education Bengaluru

(Educational progress programmes, high quality education, uniforms, infrastructure development)