Meet pothole deadline or face pay cuts, Bengaluru civic body tell its engineers

BENGALURU: After many failed deadlines to fix potholes on the city’s roads, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath has set another deadline — all potholes will be filled by the end of December.

Due to the poor quality works, potholes resurface on roads. Just a month ago, the engineers presented a progress report on the pothole filling works. But this time, the BBMP Chief Commissioner has warned the engineers strictly to achieve the targets. If not, their salaries will be docked to undertake patch work.

Tushar Giri Nath said, “We have already submitted all the reports to the government. Most of the work has been completed. We have also set a deadline for December 31 to fill all pending potholes. After it rained, some areas developed potholes again. Engineers will declare roads as pothole-free in the major wards. After that, we will invite objections from the public so that we can find out what is the status of work.”

The BBMP engineers have told Girinath that bad stretches cannot be counted as potholes and that they will certify the remaining potholes. The BBMP will relaunch the ‘Fix My Street’ mobile app for public use from January 1, 2023, so that the Palike can take up pothole fixing work on a continuous basis.

The BBMP Commissioner Thushar Girinath has set a deadline for the engineers to fill potholes.

He also referred to the other agencies, which take up digging work on roads to lay cables, water pipes, etc., as being responsible for the bad condition of roads. “Civic utilities which cut the road must restore them too. Sometimes, they cut roads and leave them in the same condition. Those agencies will be held responsible for the condition of the road. They have to look into all the work. No work is taken up without the permission of ward engineers, and we will cut their salaries if they don’t ensure that potholes are fixed”, he warned.

Social activist Amaresh said, “The Palike commissioner always gives unclear statements over development. He makes statements every day on one or another issue, but nothing is implemented. Whatever he said about fixing potholes and deducting salaries of engineers will not happen”.

Amaresh, a social activist challenged the BBMP to take action against its engineers

Amaresh added, “The commissioner could not take action against either the engineers or the contractors for poor quality work. The Palike should be think practically and should not mislead the public. If they are really sincere, let them take stringent action against at least one engineer. But they cannot do it because the engineers have seen so many commissioners earlier and they have no fear”.

The activist also noted that it is almost impossible to fix all the potholes in just 11 days. The civic body should at least fix 25 per cent of the potholes by the year-end, he said.