Civic agencies battle it out on MG Road

BNAGALORE: According to the ultimatum given by Home and Transport Minister R Ashoka to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) last week, the major roads in the city should be potholes free by the end of the next month.The minister had also mentioned that one of the major reasons for potholes is sub-standard quality and water-logging. The BBMP patch work that has begun in almost full swing, has the designated contractors and workers doing their best to confirm to the protocol and the set scientific procedure to ensure that the work is done well.While the BBMP is going ahead with the new patch work, what becomes of the old ones? The corner of Trinity Circle Junction has begun caving in. The road bares early signs of potholes that are on their way to become full-fledged craters soon if not mended. This particular corner on Trinity Circle seems to be jinxed.A few months ago, the portion of the road was in a battered condition. “It appeared as if that part of the road was not even asphalted,” said a commuter. The poor condition of the road was a major cause of concern for many motorists. However, the Palike was almost quick enough to patch work the problem.“I could not believe it when I saw that the Trinity Circle junction was smooth and potholes free. It was almost like a dream come true. However, the pleasant feeling was short lived one. The road has begun giving way all over again. The daily downpour is only going to make the situation worse. It’s only a matter of time until the small pothole turns into a crater,” said a resident of Trinity Church Road.The area where the patch work was done, less than a fortnight ago, is uneven and has loose stones that are strewn across the left shoulder of the road. According to Chandrya, a BBMP assistant engineer, the root cause for the damaged patch work is the faulty sanitary pipe lines. “We have complained to the BWSSB many times regarding the same,” he said. He also mentioned that he will look into the matter and ensure that the pothole is mended as soon as the weather conditions improve.Meanwhile, the BBMP executive engineer in charge for the area also informed that the patch work on that particular spot has been done almost three to four times. “The BWSSB is planning to lay new pipe lines in the area. However, the work is still incomplete. Once the work is done, there will be no problems,” he added.The BWSSB executive engineer for South East division, Ninge Gowda informed that the BWSSB is planning on laying new sewage pipes. These 450mm pipes will be able to handle the existing  load. “The existing pipes lines are almost 60 to 70 years old. Once the new big pipes are laid, there will be no problem with the line,” said the engineer. He also vouched for the pipes and said, “I can say that once the new pipelines are laid, they will last a hundred years without any problems.”