BMP finds concrete solution to bad roads

BMP finds concrete solution to bad roads

The Hindu

50 per cent of ward allocation likely for concrete roads


BANGALORE: If you are one of those who envy the concrete road in front of Vidhana Soudha and wonder why the stretch in front of your house cannot be of the same quality, here is some good news for you.

Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) is set to build concrete roads across the city in a phased manner.

To start with from this year, 50 per cent of the ward grants will be used to build concrete roads.

"This will be announced in the BMP budget to be presented on Friday," sources in BMP said on Wednesday.

"The allocation for ward grants is being increased from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 1.5 crores this time. It will be made mandatory for every corporator to use over Rs. 75 lakhs on concrete roads. We have decided on this to ensure that the same roads are not asphalted year after year," the sources said.

The sources said this decision is taken to prevent the BMP being "blackmailed" by asphalt contractors, who recently boycotted the road tenders floated by the BMP under the second package of the "complete blacktop" asphalting project.

"The roadworks have been delayed considerably because the contractors did not respond to tenders.

"As big contractors will not come forward to execute small packages, we have to depend on the asphalt contractors every year for roadworks. Such problems will not repeat if we build concrete roads," the sources said.

Congress leader in BMP Council H. Ravindra, who confirmed that the budget for 2006-2007 will give emphasis to concrete roads, said this was aimed at putting an end to all complaints about bad roads.

"We will first take up roads that are in a bad condition. I have suggested that major roads, which are being upgraded under the Karnataka Municipal Reforms Project with World Bank assistance, should be cemented. Then all our roads will last for years," he said.

BMP Engineer-in-Chief Ramegowda said the BMP has built concrete roads in slums and low-lying areas in the past.

"A three-km stretch in Kalasipalyam was upgraded with concrete last year. Now, we have taken up cementing of the 800-metre stretch on the Silver Jubilee Park Road, which is in a bad shape. We have realised that small roads where we cannot take road-rollers need to be built with concrete," he said.

"Although the initial cost for concrete roads will be higher than the traditional asphalting, such roads will last at least for 25 years," he added.