Commissioner cracks the whip

Commissioner cracks the whip
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: BMP Commissioner K Jairaj on Wednesday ordered that no park renovation work involving capital expenditure be taken up without his approval.

The Commissioner’s action followed reports in the this website’s newspaper on Wednesday highlighting destruction of the well-laid joggers’ track at the BMP park in Srinagar as part of renovation programme.

Jairaj reviewed the progress of renovation works at a meeting with officials and said that minor repair works in parks could go on, but if BMP has sanctioned any major renovation work, they cannot be taken up without proper inspections at all levels and his approval.

It is found that in many areas, the BMP has chalked out such programmes upon the suggestion of the local corporators, though no such renovation is necessary in many places.

As for Srinagar park, the BMP weighed the option of ordering re-laying the track with the cobble-stones that were removed. But since they were all being transported out of the park and work had been awarded to a private contractor, the renovation had been allowed to continue.

“It was the BMP’s mistake in the first place to have selected this park for renovation. If it was BMP’s work, we could have considered stopping the work, but since it has been awarded to a private contractor, we have allowed it,” a BMP official said.

The contractor, he said, will be asked to speed up the work so that the morning walkers are not put to inconvenience.

The official said the work on damaged roads too will be taken up soon.