The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has come under the scanner once again after visuals showed a road that was done up ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bengaluru visit peeled off like paint, requiring barely any effort. The civic body has now issued showcause notices to three engineers in the RR Nagar division of the department for 'substandard work' in repairing the road.
"It has come to the knowledge of the undersigned through the Media ( that, the Asphalting work taken up for Mariyappanapalya main road in Bangalore University Campus is reported to be substandard work. There are visuals that the layer of asphalt is being removed by hand," the notice issued by Prahlad BS, Chief Engineer, Road Infrastructure in the BBMP read
The notices were issued to to MT Balaji, Executive Engineer, RI-RR Nagar Division, HJ.Ravi, Assistant Executive Engineer (l/c), RI-RR Nagar Division and IK Vishwas, Assistant Engineer, RI-RR Nagar Division.
After the news of newly laid roads in Bengaluru caving in came to light, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had sought a clarification from the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
The BJP is under pressure as the party is trying to create a clean image in view of the upcoming Assembly polls. The news of substandard road work in Bengaluru has dented the image of the party and it comes months after allegations of ministers demanding bribes from road contractors.
NR Ramesh, BJP President for Bengaluru South, said on Saturday that he has sought information about the road works taken up during PM Modi's visit through RTI with authorities. "Once I get the information, I will lodge a complaint against the responsible authorities, officers and other parties involved. We are against corruption," he said.
Considering the seriousness of the issue, Chief Minister Bommai has instructed BBMP Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the caving in of a road which was laid just ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the city.
The BBMP had said that Rs 23 crore was spent for the facelift of 14 kilometers of roads in Bengaluru ahead of the PM's recent visit.
The civic body had developed roads from Kengeri to Kommaghatta (7 km), Mysuru Road (0.15 km), a stretch after Hebbal flyover (2.4 km), Tumakuru Road (0.90 km) and roads in Bengaluru University campus (3.6 km). BBMP also repaired maidans, fixed street lights, painted roads and kerbs.