The BBMP is no exception to the Indian democracy's unique paradigm that some are more equal than others.
The civic body in fact has made it a habit to tar and re-tar roads in the posh and high-end places in the City. One finds that roads, where the politicians, film
stars and top IT giants stay, are not only well tarred but unnecessarily re-tarred as well.
But those in the other parts of the City, where the ordinary people stay, are in a bad shape, replete with potholes and dug-up stretches.
The officials with the road works department of the BBMP claim that they regularly inspect the roads to check for potholes. S Somashekar, chief engineer, road infrastructure, BBMP explains that there are two broad categories of roads which are considered for tarring and repair — the main road and 'sub-arterial' roads.
"We carry out a visual inspection of the roads that require an overlay or strengthening. We inspect for cracks, potholes and for what we call 'distressed roads'. We also concentrate on roads leading from the Central Business District (CBD) to Mysore Road, Magadi Road, Sarjapur Road and Bellary Road. These major roads bear a lot of traffic, especially that of heavy vehicles," explains Somashekar.
He further states, "If the road is in motorable condition, we just do a minor repair. Roads are tarred only if they are not motorable. The repair work on roads in the residential areas are commissioned and done only at the ward level. And the layer of tar we use depends on the length of the road and the extent of damage."
But the ordinary Bangaloreans have been battling with biases of the BBMP year after year. They say a lot of money has been diverted towards the betterment of roads but nothing concrete has been done to make driving and riding in the City a hassle-free experience.
Mamatha Ganesh, a housewife, feels that only the VVIP and upmarket areas in the City are well-maintained while the other roads remain neglected.
"Bangalore is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities but due to negligence, the roads in most areas are pathetic. Even the potholes are not filled making commuting a nightmare," she adds.
Padmini N, another home-maker, observes that at some places the roads are not only tarred, but also re-tarred.
"The politicians have better roads than the ordinary people. Despite paying our taxes, I wonder why we are deprived of good infrastructure in the form of good roads?" she asks.
Varun N, a student, also feels that the posh areas in the City are better maintained than the ordinary people's residential areas.
"The City isn't developing as much as it is supposed to. There are several bad roads in the residential areas. A few main roads in the City, especially in the northern and eastern parts, beg for attention. The government needs to take a closer look at the state of roads in the City," Varun concludes.
The civic body in fact has made it a habit to tar and re-tar roads in the posh and high-end places in the City. One finds that roads, where the politicians, film
stars and top IT giants stay, are not only well tarred but unnecessarily re-tarred as well.
But those in the other parts of the City, where the ordinary people stay, are in a bad shape, replete with potholes and dug-up stretches.
The officials with the road works department of the BBMP claim that they regularly inspect the roads to check for potholes. S Somashekar, chief engineer, road infrastructure, BBMP explains that there are two broad categories of roads which are considered for tarring and repair — the main road and 'sub-arterial' roads.
"We carry out a visual inspection of the roads that require an overlay or strengthening. We inspect for cracks, potholes and for what we call 'distressed roads'. We also concentrate on roads leading from the Central Business District (CBD) to Mysore Road, Magadi Road, Sarjapur Road and Bellary Road. These major roads bear a lot of traffic, especially that of heavy vehicles," explains Somashekar.
He further states, "If the road is in motorable condition, we just do a minor repair. Roads are tarred only if they are not motorable. The repair work on roads in the residential areas are commissioned and done only at the ward level. And the layer of tar we use depends on the length of the road and the extent of damage."
But the ordinary Bangaloreans have been battling with biases of the BBMP year after year. They say a lot of money has been diverted towards the betterment of roads but nothing concrete has been done to make driving and riding in the City a hassle-free experience.
Mamatha Ganesh, a housewife, feels that only the VVIP and upmarket areas in the City are well-maintained while the other roads remain neglected.
"Bangalore is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities but due to negligence, the roads in most areas are pathetic. Even the potholes are not filled making commuting a nightmare," she adds.
Padmini N, another home-maker, observes that at some places the roads are not only tarred, but also re-tarred.
"The politicians have better roads than the ordinary people. Despite paying our taxes, I wonder why we are deprived of good infrastructure in the form of good roads?" she asks.
Varun N, a student, also feels that the posh areas in the City are better maintained than the ordinary people's residential areas.
"The City isn't developing as much as it is supposed to. There are several bad roads in the residential areas. A few main roads in the City, especially in the northern and eastern parts, beg for attention. The government needs to take a closer look at the state of roads in the City," Varun concludes.