With continuous rain playing spoilsport, the BBMP's feverish attempt at tackling potholes may receive a setback. However, citizens are concerned whether the ‘haste’ will go to ‘waste’ if proper procedure is not followed.
Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George on Wednesday asked reporters not to highlight every accident as a ‘pothole death’.
Criminal action against contractors?
BBMP Commissioner Manjunath N. Prasad said that criminal action would be taken against contractors if they did not repair potholes which had developed on roads still under maintenance period. However, no action has been taken against the contractors involved in the three deaths which took place in BBMP limits in pothole related cases.
In the October 3 case in which two persons died, the contractor’s maintenance period had got over. Mr. Prasad claimed that the ward engineers had started repairs on one stretch of the road but had stopped due to rain.
In the case of the woman who fell from a scooter near Nayandahalli junction, the road is being maintained by the BMRCL. “We are getting details of the contractor and will decide on the course of action,” said the commissioner.
Speed at cost of quality?
Meanwhile, BBMP officials are scampering to fix potholes within the 15-day deadline announced by the Chief Minister. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the BBMP held review meetings with engineers of all eight zones.
However, citizens say that with such a short deadline being given, contractors are filling potholes with little concern for quality. A resident of H.S.R. Layout Sector 2 was witness to one spot where the road had been cut being fixed in as little as three minutes. "The officials brought a truck, filled the area with aggregates, and left for the next problem point. When I asked a supervisor whether this would be sufficient, he said it would flatten once vehicles passed over it," he said. With rain in the evening, there was a high chance the aggregates would have been washed off, he felt.
He added that residents had provided officials with a list of potholes in the area two months ago. "It is good that they are repairing it at least now, but let them not waste taxpayers’ money by compromising on quality," he added.
A senior BBMP official admitted that without rolling over the mix, the work would not last more than a few days.
