Bengaluru roads are set to be riddled with hassles, as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will soon begin white topping nearly 150 km of road network in the city.
White topping, which is considered more costlier than asphalting roads, is a process where the normal black-top roads or the bitumen asphalted roads are cleared and the roads are given a layer of concrete on top. The concrete used is considered to be more long-lasting and is believed to prevent the formation of potholes.
BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Giri Nath on Tuesday instructed officials to complete all preparations for the groundbreaking ceremony related to the white topping works in the BBMP jurisdiction.
Addressing an inter-departmental coordination meeting held at the BSNL office regarding the implementation of white topping works in the city, he stated that the works will be undertaken in 15 packages. Out of these, 13 packages have already been finalized, and work orders have been issued to the contractors. However, the remaining two packages are pending at the government level.
He instructed that surveys be conducted by the departments concerned regarding the relocation of water and sewer pipes by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTCL) cables, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), and other utilities in the areas where white topping works are planned.
The Karnataka government on January 9 had issued a government order approving the BBMP’s request to whitetop proposed roads to fix the road infrastructure issues in Bengaluru.
The BWSSB was specifically instructed to lay pipes on both sides of the road without damaging the roads. “Once the work is completed, no permission will be granted to damage the roads for any reason,” Nath said.
According to the BBMP, a list of areas where white topping works will be carried out has already been provided to all departments. Joint inspections have been conducted based on this list, and final preparations for commencing work are underway.
The roads identified for whitetopping include Tannery Road, Mosque Road, DJ Halli main road, Hennur 80ft road, CBI Road, Dinnur Main Road, Malleswaram 8th main road, Holiday Village Road (near Kanakapura Road) and Bull Temple road among others.
Comprehensive utility arrangements
The BBMP chief directed comprehensive arrangements to be made to install utility ducts on both sides of the roads undergoing white topping works and emphasized on the need for coordination with the relevant departments to ensure this.
Traffic route changes
Nath insisted on coordination with the traffic police division to implement route changes where white topping works are being undertaken. “The work should be completed within the stipulated time, and it should be carried out in stages to ensure there is no disruption to vehicle traffic,” Nath said.
The BBMP chief directed comprehensive arrangements to be made to install utility ducts on both sides of the roads undergoing white topping works and emphasized on the need for coordination with the relevant departments to ensure this.
Chief Engineer Prahlad mentioned that approximately 150 km of roads in the city will undergo white topping works and he requested traffic police officers to identify alternative routes in the areas where the work is being carried out. He also assured that the work will be conducted day and night to complete it within the given timeline.
The need for white-topping
The Karnataka government on January 9 had issued a government order approving the BBMP’s request to whitetop proposed roads to fix the road infrastructure issues in Bengaluru. The government had approved white topping works worth Rs 800 crore for 64 km of road network in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, white topping works of 145 km road network in Bengaluru has already been completed in the first and second phases under Urban Development Plan of 2016-17 and white topping work of 4.8 km long road has been carried out under the Amrita Urban Development in 2022. -23.