Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday, November 17, said repair and restoration work of pothole-riddled Bengaluru roads would be taken up in a war footing manner, adding that he will personally monitor the work. Speaking to mediapersons after participating in the Bengaluru Tech Summit, he said that the continuous spell of rains in the city and other districts due to the depression in Bay of Bengal has left its trail of damage on Bengaluru roads.
"I have already held a meeting in this regard and issued necessary instructions for road repair works," Bommai said. The Chief Minister said work for comprehensive repair and improvement of roads in Bengaluru would be immediately taken up after the current spell of rains. Orders had been issued to utilise National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams for relief work in the low-lying areas that have suffered damage to roads, houses and properties.
Four special teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) would also be constituted in Bengaluru for the purpose, Bommai said. Replying to a question on confusion between contractors who laid the roads and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as to who should take up road repair works in the city following the rains, the Chief Minister said the BBMP had been instructed to take up the work immediately.
He also stated that the government had approved Rs 280 crore for taking up underground drainage works in 110 villages which were newly added to BBMP limits.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Bengaluru centre on Wednesday issued a yellow warning for the city on Friday, November 19, as the depression in Bay of Bengal is expected to make landfall between southern Andhra Pradesh’s coast and the northern Tamil Nadu. A yellow warning asks people to remain alert and stay prepared as the weather could deteriorate.