100 suggestions, zero action

100 suggestions, zero action
HC Panel On Roads: What Purpose Do We Serve?
The Times of India

Bangalore: Three men, 4,200 km of roads, four comprehensive reports, 100 recommendations to better quality of roads.
Action taken: Nil.

Since September 2005, month after month, week after week, three men constituted by the High Court to look into the state of Bangalore’s roads have beavered diligently into producing tonnes of reports. The bi-monthly reports, four submitted to the court, the fifth to be submitted on July 15, have so far pointed out the lacunae in the administrative system and practices followed by the general public which was leading to abysmal quality of roads. The term of the panel ends on July 15, which is when the last and final report would also be submitted.

And by consensus of the panel members, these reports have gone down the very drain they sought to improve. Explained Capt Raja Rao who heads the panel: “What purpose do we serve? In every report we have enumerated the problems faced by the expert committee. Nobody has bothered to listen to us. And the BMP which is the respondent to the petition, does not respond. We don’t even know if they follow the kind of action we recommend or if they file action taken reports in the court.’’

For instance, when the committee submitted its first report circa October 2005, there were recommendations galore listed to tackle tertiary drains. “No matter what quality of road is laid, if the tertiary drain is not adequate, their work will go down the valleys they seek to desilt. The water has to go through the kerb openings,’’ the report noted. The monsoon is upon us now, couldn’t this have been followed, ask panel members.

And another— panel members have been asking for details of ward works so as to enable reduction in costs. “We are trying to calculate what does it cost the BMP to provide tertiary drains. For 33 wards alone, 2,080 culverts have to be provided. Information is just not forthcoming from the remaining wards,’’ rues Capt Rao.

BMP commissioner K Jairaj said he welcomed the recommendations while acknowledging that not all of them can be implemented overnight. “We will have a lot of engineering reforms in place. I have already said that BMP will not accept single tenders in keeping with the panel’s recommendation. A technical and vigilance committee has been set up and they will report to the commissioner directly,’’ he said.

So, what will happen to those 1,000-page reports? “Our conscience is clear that we have discharged our duties. Why does the BMP want HC to dictate terms, can’t they take the initiative to take up work?’’ say panel members.

& OBSERVATIONS SO FAR
Set up an environmental cell at the BMP Implement road cutting protocol for utility service providers like BWSSB, Bescom
Inadequate tertiary drains in the city will lead to bad roads
Cartel system of inviting/processing tenders for major works
Estimates for works taken up not being maintained
Classification of roads — residential, arterial, sub-arterial, lane — needs to be done to decide quality of asphalting
IRC (Indian Road Congress) norms thrown to the winds