BBMP’s cleanliness drive to impress investors shows citizens don’t matter

Beautification work under way near Palace Grounds. DH PHOTO/S K DINESH

Road repairs under way near Palace Grounds. DH PHOTO/S K DINESH

Ahead of the November 2 Global Investors Meet (GIM) at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, the Commerce and Industries Department has asked the Urban Development Department to fix roads and junctions.

The Commerce Department’s letter comes amid the city’s deteriorating road condition that could prove to be a major embarrassment for the government. Delegates from across the globe will take part in Karnataka’s flagship event.

The two-page missive from Additional Chief Secretary Dr E V Raman Reddy to his UDD counterpart Rakesh Singh also reminded the monitoring committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Vanditha Sharma over preparations for GIM, expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The letter dated October 24 details responsibilities entrusted to the BBMP, BWSSB and BDA. The municipal administration has been asked to fix roads and pavements, besides beautification work on prominent junctions.

The Palike’s responsibilities also include displaying welcome boards, fixing streetlights, and placing ornamental plants, among other things. While the BWSSB has been asked to ensure uninterrupted water supply, the BDA has been drafted into the team managing the exhibition centre.

Cleanliness drive

On Thursday, the BBMP kickstarted a cleanliness drive in all eight zones, including filling potholes, fixing pavements, and clearing debris dumped in public places. A separate team has been deployed to prune tree branches, remove flexes, repair streetlights, besides planting saplings by cleaning up medians on arterial and sub-arterial roads.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath has directed zonal commissioners to inspect all major roads, including Hebbal, Kanakapura main road, Konankunte main road, Mahadevapura main road, ITPL Road, Mysore Road, Hesarghatta Road, Tumakuru Road, RT Nagar Road, Cubbon Road, Palace Road, etc.

Besides using grants allocated from the Chief Minister’s Navanagarothana programme, the BBMP plans to use an additional Rs 4 crore only for road development work around Palace Grounds.

“We have requested Rs 4 crore from the Commerce and Industries Department for road repair and beautification works. While the stretch between the airport and Hebbal will be developed by NHAI, we will repair the stretch up to Palace Grounds,” a senior BBMP official said.

Insult to Bengalureans

The sudden cleanliness drive is a slap on the face of city dwellers who have been demanding better roads and civic amenities for several months.

“The BBMP's action shows only the rich and powerful deserve good roads. The government has clearly taken the voters for granted,” Ravi Krishna Reddy of Karnataka Rastra Samithi said.

He felt the civic body may use GIM as an excuse to start multiple civic works sidestepping the tender process.