BWSSB digs up newly-laid road in Mahalakshmi Layout, residents vent ire

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineers asphalted the road in Shakti Ganapati Nagar in Mahalakshmi Layout on Saturday, but within an hour of the completing the wor, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) engineers dug up the same road  for fixing a water valve underneath and asphalted the road later.

The locals vented their anger at the civic agencies for their unplanned and uncoordinated work which resulted in fixing the road twice.

Recently, the Palike issued an internal circular stating that the salaries of engineers will be docked if there are complaints of illegal digging of newly-laid roads under different schemes in their jurisdiction and that disciplinary action against the engineers concerned.

Now, the residents of Shakti Ganapati Nagari claim that the quality of asphalting is poor and unscientific. “They dug up the new roads twice to check the water valves and then asphalted the same roads. The engineers are looting taxpayers’ money and carrying out the work just for the sake of it”, they complained.

Ironically, the constituency MLA, who is also a minister, was present while the dug-up site was being asphalted, but did not even check the quality of work, residents said. They also questioned the BBMP as to what disciplinary action will be taken against the engineers responsible.

Local resident Anand claimed that BBMP engineers are misusing public tax money.

A local resident, Anand, said, “Some people have started digging the road within an hour after it was asphalted without the guidance of BBMP engineer. After we uploaded a video of the digging on social media, the engineers came and fixed the problem. But the question is, the Palike is wasting public money. There is no information on which fund is being used for repairing the roads and there is a lack of coordination between agencies. One agency fixes the road, and another is digging up the same road. The people cannot even question the BBMP”, he rued.
Local leader Jagadish said, there is a lack of coordination between agencies.

Jagadish, another local, said, “Local MLA Gopalaiah, the AE, AEE were present while asphalting the road. When I came in the evening, some workers including Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), engineers were digging the road to check the old water valve, which was covered with asphalt due to lack of coordination between the BBMP and BWSSB”.