“Do you want us to pass orders to replace your engineers with better ones?” Karnataka High Court asks BBMP in the matter pertaining to repairing potholes in Bengaluru
A Karnataka High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and consisting of Justice Krishna Kumar questioned the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) over the delay in fixing potholes in Bengaluru roads. CJ Awasthi remarked “Your engineers seem to be delaying the process, should we pass orders to replace them with better engineers.?”
The above observations were made in a PIL filed in 2015 seeking directions to the authorities to improve the road conditions of Bengaluru. The court had on 31st July 2019 issued a rule nisi to monitor the implementation of directions of the court from time to time with respect to repairing the potholes in Bangalore city in line with the directions passed from time to time. Ever since this order was passed, the matter has been kept pending and the court has directed BBMP to file status reports from time to time.
On the last date of hearing BBMP submitted that he agency which was earlier engaged in repair of roads by adopting advance technology has been engaged again and the work for repair of potholes has started on 14th February 2022. It was further submitted that in the repair of potholes, hot mix on wheel technology by python machine would be used, by the agencies approved. The petitioners however contended that the concern of public at large is with respect to immediate repair of the potholes and proper technology being used in the said repair of potholes so that the incidents of unnatural deaths and injuries may not take place. The court had passed directions to BBMP to submit the working plan of the roads which are included in the potholes repair work giving and the exact details of the roads and the time in which the pothole repair would be completed.
When the matter came up for hearing today the court was not satisfied with the working plan submitted and pulled up BBMP for delay in implementing the plans and not using appropriate technology to fill up the pot holes. The court further remarked that despite many directions, the engineers on ground are not carrying out their work in an efficient manner. The Chief Commissioner of BBMP appeared before the court and assured that a proper working plan will be filed on the next date of hearing.
The court on hearing the submissions noted that the Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commissioner, BBMP, has assured the court that he will see to it that a proper work plan is prepared showing the proposed plan to fill up/repair of potholes in the Central Business District area of Bengaluru and further using the proper technology and maximum machines to effectively repair the potholes. The court granted BBMP one week’s time to file the plan and adjourned the matter to 15th March 2022.
Case title: Vijayan Menon Vs Secretary, Urban Development Department