TenderSURE road footpath has been dug up for repairs, but that's precisely the point

Much has been made about the footpaths on TenderSURE roads being dug up by the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), but at least it is line with the spirit of the TenderSURE project for urban roads.Seven roads in Bengaluru have been taken up under the TenderSURE project, which has been projected as one that will provide the state capital’s Central Business District with world class roads.The TenderSURE guidelines have been developed by a private firm called Jana Urban Space Foundation. The project was approved by the then chief minister D V Sadananda Gowdap in September 2011, completely bypassing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) which is contrary to the spirit of the 74th Constitutional Amendment.Read: The Bengaluru footpath that's wider than the road has caught the CM's attentionSt. Marks Road, which is one of the seven roads being re-developed under the project, became infamous in March after it became known as the footpath which was wider than the road. Now the footpath has been dug up by the BWSSB due to leaky pipelines.According to a report in The Hindu, the BWSSB had installed new water pipelines but the old ones had developed leaks. In order to shift from the old to the new pipelines, the footpath had to be dug up, the BWSSB said.However, proponents of the project such as Civic Evangelist of Bangalore City Connect Foundation V Ravichander have said that the with TenderSURE roads, the road – meaning the carriageway – would not be dug up in the event of utilities – such as BWSSB pipelines or drains – having to be repaired. These have been laid under the footpaths.BBMP engineers too say that even when the BBMP undertakes road projects the utilities must be shifted under the footpaths, but acknowledge that when the roads are widened, this is usually not done.