It’s not just motorists who are being inconvenienced by the road work taken up by Bengaluru Smart City Ltd. in the Central Business District (CBD), which is moving at a snail’s pace. Residents and businesses too are facing the brunt as the constant digging has affected power and telephone lines.
A motorist, who commutes from Nagarbhavi to Infantry Road every day, said, “There seems to be no planning. Utilities, such as telephone lines and power lines, often get affected. The projects are ‘smart’ only in name.”
Motorists and cyclists allege that the dug-up roads are a safety hazard.
“On many stretches, roads have been dug up on both sides. The barricades are not sturdy. If we lose control of the vehicle, we will fall straight into a ditch,” said a motorist.
Former mayor M. Goutham Kumar, who received complaints from frustrated citizens, said he had issued several directions during his tenure with regard to safety measures to be taken at the work site. “So far, none of the directions seem to have been implemented,” he said, adding that none of the projects taken up were progressing as per deadlines.
M. Shivaraju, former councillor, said the lack of information in the public domain about the projects and their status is another source of frustration. “How much money has been sanctioned, what has been spent, when are the works likely to be completed… all these details should be made available to the general public,” he said.
Bengaluru Smart City Ltd. Managing Director Hephsiba Rani Korlapati vehemently refuted claims of lack of safety measures. Projects estimated at ₹1,000 crore have been envisaged under Smart City. Of this, the Centre will sanction ₹500 crore over five years, and the rest will come from the State government.
“So far, the Centre has sanctioned ₹155 crore and the State government has released ₹55 crore. Of this, we have already spent around ₹75 crore. Around ₹65 crore has been spent since February this year,” she pointed out.
Admitting that work progress had been affected following the lockdown and exodus of migrant workers, she said that the pace of work has picked up since August. “Till January this year, many of the projects had not been taken up on the ground. However, we are now on fast-track mode and we are sure to complete the projects within the deadlines,” she said.
