Bangalore : The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)’s delay in laying Cauvery water supply pipelines to 110 villages in five zones — Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, Yelahanka, and Rajarajeshwarinagar — is not only affecting residents and motorists, but also the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) works. The ambitious project was expected to be completed by May 2019, but will take another eight to 10 months to complete, said a senior BWSSB official.
However, BBMP officials claim that this delay is affecting the quality of roads in these areas and said that they can’t take up restoration work until the pipelines are laid. Of the over 2,000 km network of roads affected by the water supply project, only around 600 has been restored by the BBMP. “Until we are asked to restore roads that have been dug up, it is BWSSB’s responsibility to put safety measures such as barricading, marking, temporary filling and other works in place. However, at many places this has not happened and the BBMP is being blamed for it,” a senior BBMP official said. Some of the roads include Kenchanahalli Main Road, 5th Main Road in Subramanyapura, Uttarahalli- Kanakapura Road, Nagondanahalli Road, and various stretches in Mahadevapura.
A senior BWSSB official said that there was a mismatch between the funds sought and funds received, which is one reason for the delay. “The entire project is Rs. 1,500 crore, of which we will have to give some to the BBMP for road restoration,” said the official, adding that lack of funds, men and machinery are also to blame.
According to BBMP officials, the BWSSB had deposited around Rs. 86 crore for restoration of roads to date. “In those areas where digging is complete, we have started restoring a few zonal and major roads with the amount deposited,” said a BBMP official in the engineering department. The BBMP said that the rest of the funds, around Rs. 230 crore, will be taken from the Chief Minister Nava Bengaluru Yojane to restore the roads.
Motorists have to contend with traffic and cratered roads as these have become the norm today. The lack of pavements is also a problem.
A member of Swarna Begur Welfare Association for Residents said that lack of coordination between agencies was the root cause of all the problems in Begur. “It’s been like this for two years now. Work is happening at a very slow pace, testing the patience of residents and commuters,” they said.
The situation in Whitefield is worse where more than 8 km of road had been dug up. “As the roads are narrow and there are no alternate routes, the traffic police has not given us permission to dig up the entire stretch at one go,” said a BWSSB official.
In February, at a special BBMP council meeting, Tushar Girinath, chairman, BWSSB, had said that the project of laying pipes would likely be completed by May 2019. When contacted, Mr. Girinath said that more than 85% of the laying of pipeline has been completed. “The rest of it will be completed within a few months. We have only been given around six to seven hours to work from 10.30 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. This has hindered the pace of the work. We all are working towards minimising the inconvenience. What best can be done is being one,” he said.