BBMP tweaks budget to make space for new roadworks

Bengaluru: With the state government not providing special grants for Bengaluru this year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has tweaked its 2024-25 budget to accommodate new roadworks amounting to Rs 300 crore. 

In addition, the civic body has decided to foot the remaining cost by making provisions in the next year's budget. Such changes, in the middle of a year, are rare and were apparently necessitated with the growing anger over the poor condition of roads. 

The BBMP took the cabinet approval in September to make changes in its budget as it was already in force. The civic body set aside Rs 300 crore by reducing the allocations earmarked for the tunnel road project, Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise, ornamental lighting, sky deck, and upgrade of hospital infrastructure, among others. 

As asphalting of 389.68 km of road is estimated to cost Rs 694 crore, the BBMP will set aside the remaining Rs 394 crore in the 2025-26 budget. This was decided as it would take around three to six months to complete the asphalting of roads. 

Milling must

The Urban Development Department (UDD) has insisted that no road asphalting must be taken up without milling the road, which is generally not followed by the contractors hired by the civic body. The department has also noted that pipelines and gratings must be provided to ensure water flows into the roadside drains easily. Part of the allocation also includes repairing the footpaths. 

The UDD has also ordered that all the works must be executed by floating tenders. No work must be packaged below Rs 10 crore. It has also instructed the BBMP to create an escrow account for taking up these works on priority. 

Ashok Mruthyunjaya, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader from Mahadevapura, said the entire IT hub was covered with dust because the roads were so bad. 

"If I take my car out, I will be caught in the traffic jam. I prefer to use my two-wheeler, but the roads are covered with dust," he said. He also suspected the BBMP’s grand announcements of providing comprehensive development of roads, saying the footpaths and drainage systems are neglected. 

He hoped there would be co-ordination between other agencies as the BWSSB is digging up several roads in the city’s outskirts to lay water and sewage lines.