Despite Experts’ Warning, BBMP To White-Top Over 40 Roads In Bengaluru

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had been criticised for white-topping 94.5 km of roads in Bengaluru. It cost the municipality Rs 986.64 crore. Now, tenders are being floated for 41 roads to be converted, which is about 63.24 km in length. Phase 1 work still remains incomplete and the body seems to be in a rush to initiate Phase 2.

Most of the areas where the white-topping will be done under Phase 2 will fall under the central business district (CBD) region, which is densely populated. Some of the stretches include the ones in Gandhi Bazar, Wilson Garden, Madhavan Park in South End Road, 18th Cross at Malleshwaram among others.

Deccan Herald quoted a BBMP official as saying, “The second phase is divided into eight packages where 41 roads of 63.24 km will be white-topped under grants by the state government. Since there is a delay in Phase 1 work, we have decided not to give more than 15 roads to one contractor under the next phase. This will ensure one contractor doesn’t bag all the packages.”

Furthermore, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said, “Phase 2 of white-topping is finalised. Six packages have been already approved and the tender will be floated. Another two packages are yet to be approved. The BBMP plan is to take up white-topping in 1,400 km of city roads in the coming days. We are trying to minimise people’s problems; the white-topping of roads will last for 25-30 years. We have to take up this project for better, pothole-free roads,” Deccan Herald reported.