PWD jumps into action, or does it?

Better late than never: govt wakes up to protest
Times of India

Bangalore: Technology does bring results, even if it is through protests: a day after IIMB students took to the streets against the pathetic condition of the Bannerghatta road, the government on Tuesday started filling the crater-sized potholes.

In a fit of pro-activeness, officials did not even wait for the return of public works minister H.D. Revanna from his foreign tour to take a decision on the issue. After a hurried meeting called between the public works and IT department heads here, PWD secretary T. Sukumar told The Times of India: “We have decided to fill the potholes right away, under grants given to us from the government.’’

The PWD has taken over three roads — Bannerghatta, Whitefield and Sarjapur roads — which they have planned to improve via publicprivate partnerships at a total cost of Rs 34 crore. MoUs have been signed for both Bannerghatta and Whitefield roads, while the Sarjapur one is still pending. Sukumar said work was to have begun already on the Bannerghatta road, but came to a standstill due to money problems.

“We were waiting for the contractor to take up work. This will happen within 15 days, but since the situation is so bad, we have decided to fill the potholes till then,’’ he outlined.