Four infra projects may pick up pace as BBMP tweaks supervisory role

Bengaluru: Four delayed infrastructure projects in Bengaluru are expected to pick up pace following internal changes at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Senior IAS officer Munish Moudgil has been appointed to oversee key projects, including the Ejipura flyover, white-topping of roads and upgrades to high-density corridors (HDC), all of which require coordination across multiple departments.

In an internal circular dated September 9, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath announced administrative changes aimed at expediting the completion of these projects, following a directive from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dated August 27.

The Ejipura-Kendriya Sadan flyover, which began in 2017, had stalled until early this year and became the subject of ridicule on social media. Despite the BBMP’s renewed efforts, including hiring a new contractor, the project has already missed its 15-month deadline.

The civic body has also launched a project to white-top 134 roads at an estimated cost of Rs 1,600 crore. This initiative, divided between two BBMP departments, requires coordination with the traffic police, Bescom and BWSSB for timely completion.

The high-density corridor project, which aims to upgrade major roads like Ballari Road and Outer Ring Road at a cost of Rs 273 crore, also faces similar coordination challenges.

The fourth project focuses on improving last-mile connectivity to metro stations, with designs developed in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI) India. The BBMP has allocated Rs 90 crore for this work.

Due to Moudgil's successful track record in increasing the BBMP's revenue as special commissioner of revenue, Shivakumar recommended him to oversee these infrastructure projects.

Moudgil will continue to lead the revenue division while also serving as the nodal officer to monitor progress and provide guidance to engineers and contractors, as outlined in the circular.