Pothole fix after polls: BBMP

Pothole fix after polls: BBMP
BY CHANDRASHEKAR G.
BENGALURU


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● WHITEFIELD, HOME TO THE RICH, HAS POOR ROADS

While the potholefilled roads have been an insult to Bengaluru’s cityof-the-future image for a very long time, bureaucrats have never been short of reasons to explain why nothing is done about them.
The Lok Sabha elections have become the latest excuse for the poor condition of the roads, with bureaucrats throwing up their hands and pointing at the model code of conduct in force to say nothing can be done until the ballots are cast.

Whitefield with its terrible roads, will apparently have to wait only until the elections are over, to see them get a makeover, or so BBMP joint commissioner (Mahadevapura zone) B Heera Nayak would have us believe.

“Tenders have been called for asphalting and relaying the roads in Whitefield.

Some of the work has been given to the BDA while the rest will be done by the BBMP. New work cannot be taken up as the code of conduct is in force due to the upcoming parliamentary elections,” Mr Nayak said, when asked why the roads in the area remained as bad as ever.

“Once the elections are held the asphalting and other infrastructure work will be taken up and completed quickly,” he said, making all the right noises, like many of his predecessors. Government officers apparently need more than a personal encounter with such roads to do something about them. Roads in front of the BBMP and sub-registrar’s offices and the BBMP engineering office in Whitefield are among the most neglected in the locality.

Home to the rich with their luxurious homes, and several software companies, Whitefield continues to remain a nightmare for those with back problems as travelling in vehicles here can be hazardous to health.

“The surface of the road from the Whitefield main road to the sub-registrar office is worn out. Vehicles needs to drive on it at less than 10 kmph. Back pains and spinal cord injury are common complaints among the residents here thanks to the pothole filled roads,” says George, a techie and a local resident.

In particularly bad shape are roads leading to the Sai Baba Ashram and hospital, National Highway 207 (Sarjapur Road) and International Tech Park Limited (ITPL). Foreign delegates who frequent Whitefield industries and companies on business have to negotiate roads that give it a villagelike ambience.

“This area was under the Mahadevapura City Municipal Corporation (CMC) which neglected it,” says Mr Kantharaj, who lives in Channasandra near Whitefield. He says the people, who had hoped things would improve after the locality was merged with BBMP, have been disappointed as nearly two years later they have still not seen any change.

“BBMP or the BDA must do something quickly to asphalt the roads,” says Mr George.