Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to develop 45 roads under the TenderSURE scheme
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has taken up the development of roads in Bengaluru under the TenderSURE (Specifications for Urban Road Execution) scheme. As per this scheme, the BBMP plans to develop 45 roads, covering 72 km, at an estimated cost of Rs.600 crore. The uniqueness of these roads is that they will be thrice as expensive as normal tarred roads, requiring minimum maintenance and lasting longer as well.
Karnataka govt and BBMP to share costs:
The Karnataka government will sanction Rs.200 crore in this regard, with the BBMP contributing the remaining amount. The roads will be designed by a city-based NGO and work will be executed by private builders. The BBMP will work hand-in-hand with other civic agencies like the BWSSB and Bescom to ensure that the project is effectively executed.
Specifics of the project:
The BBMP commissioner while detailing about the project mentioned that it will include bus bays, uniform pedestrian walks, cycle paths and utility depths. This will ensure that the roads are maintained better and for a longer period of time. Moreover, digging of roads on either side would be done in separate channels for laying out utilities beneath the roads.
Further development on the anvil:
Construction of roads under the TenderSURE scheme will take a year compared to a week’s time that will be required for construction of normal roads. On completion of construction for the 45 roads that the BBMP will initially take up, development of another 30 roads will be taken up. The civil engineering company, NAPC Ltd, has been entrusted the work of laying seven roads, covering about 9.15 km. After being rejected thrice, the proposal in this regard was finally accepted by the government.
Public won’t be inconvenienced:
Even though the construction of these roads will require considerable capital investment, it will provide the road infrastructure that a city like Bengaluru desperately needs. Commenting on the modus operandi for the road construction, the Chief Operating Officer of NAPC stated that work will be undertaken by ensuring that minimum hindrance is caused to the general public. Digging up of roads will be undertaken in small stretches of about 500 m, with most of the work being done at night.
Micro-planning during Dec, 2013:
Micro-planning for the project would be undertaken during December, 2013. It will involve planning strategies associated with the project like prioritising roads, traffic diversions as well as related aspects associated with the project. Electro-magnetic sensors will be used to mark utilities on either side of the roads. It is expected that work will commence along St.Mark’s Road.
Pilot projects taken up:
The project was started on a pilot basis in 2009, with Warton Road and Vittal Mallya Road initially taken up for development. The quality of these roads can be gauged from the fact that they have stood the test of time. Skywalkers and escalators will be set up in the vicinity of schools to ensure safety, during the course of the work. Progress of the work would be updated on the website by the name ‘ichangemycity’, which will also act as a forum for the public to post their comments and express their grievances.
