Month after, Meena still holds promise

Month after, Meena still holds promise


nderpass work in front of UVCE at KR circle in Bangalore on Sunday.
aiza Haneef & Raghavendra RFirst Published : 20 Jul 2009 07:37:20 AM ISTLast Updated : 20 Jul 2009 08:49:16 AM IST
BANGALORE: Lots of leg work, daily on-field inspections, action plans, positive approach and team work — this has been the routine of BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena, who took charge on June 15. Meena undertook as many as 22 extensive inspections at various places across the city. While the almost daily inspections led to new development projects, ongoing infrastructure works were asked to be expedited with deadlines set. Resetting footpaths and removal of encroachments were top on his priority list.
The re-christening of BBMP help centres as ‘BBMP One centres’ in eight BBMP zones was a major development after Meena took over. Many of the works have already been completed and others are on the fast lane.
Meena told Express that the daily area inspections would continue.
“New action plans have been drawn up. Our engineers and staff have been working very hard towards meeting the deadlines and also fulfillng the expectations of the public,” he added.
Officials in BBMP, however, said that many new projects initiated by the commissioner may need to wait.
“New works can’t be taken up as the tendering process cannot be initiated with the model code of conduct in place for the bypolls. The new projects may further get delayed if the BBMP elections are declared,” sources said.
Some initiatives and their status
● Directed engineers to construct a skywalk in front of BBMP ward office in KR Puram Status: Consultant has been appointed and report awaited. BBMP authorities are planning to have an escalator for the skywalk. Detailed project report will be kept ready and once the code of conduct period gets over, tendering process will be done and work started immediately. A project report on the proposal of constructing a market complex on the five-acre land of Raitha Santhe Maidana is in the pipeline.
● Directed the chief engineer (south zone) to write to the BWSSB to take steps to stop the flow of drainage water into the Kempambudhi Lake.
Status: Letter written to BWSSB.
Correspondence from BWSSB yet to be received. Work has to be taken up by BWSSB, said officials.
● Meena inspected lake development work in Allalasandra in Byatarayanapura zone limits. Work is underway at a cost of Rs 18 crore.
Officials asked to start underpass work at Belala cross road.
Status: Almost 95 pc of tank bund work completed on Allalasandra lake. Expected to be completed by September 30. Tender for underpass work at Belala cross road has been approved. The project is worth Rs 3 crore and 40 magic boxes have already been procured. Soil testing is in progress. To start work on July 25. Work planned to be completed in 30 days.
● Meena directed that a pay-and-use toilet be constructed on 2nd cross at Huriopet on BVK Iyengar Road cross in west zone.
Status: Officials said that the estimate has been prepared to construct the toilet. Tender yet to be invited.
● Officials told to expedite work on JP Nagar underpass. Officials said the work was delayed because BWSSB was yet to shift drinking water pipelines. Meena instructed officials to work in three shifts and show definite progress within a fortnight.
● Inspected stormwater drain in Shivajinagar. An emission test centre, a flower stall and a shed were directed to be demolished. A car shed and a wall built on a stormwater drain in Kumara Park also face the axe.