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Fixing accountability for BBMP's works
murali772 - 15 December, 2012 | Bangalore | BBMP | Corruption | Road Works | Koramangala | Citizen Reports | accountability
One of the concrete slabs, covering the drain across the road junction in front of our residential complex (in S T Bed layout, Koramangala) main gate, developed cracks somewhere along, and eventually gave way around the middle of last week (see picture below), posing a hazard, particularly to pedestrians and two-whheler riders.
On Thursday, the 29th Nov, I made many attempts to lodge a complaint with the BBMP, through "Spandana", but without success. The next day, I finally managed to lodge the complaint, through their call centre, on 22660000 - got the docket no 106979 (dt 30/11/ 12).
The call centre girl who attended to my call was polite, though appeared not quite as professional as say a CITIBANK or even a REDBUS personnel. Besides, if you cannot speak Kannada, you may face a communication problem. Whatever, that BBMP has such a service, and that my complaint got recorded, was more than what I had generally come to expect from BBMP.
And, lo and behold, almost within a week (around 6th Dec), the slab was replaced. But, even as one was beginning to sing praises of BBMP's quick (one week is not bad, right? - by Indian standards) response, a closer look at the job on the ground conveyed a slightly different story - see pictures below. It now posed an even bigger hazard for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders!
The contractor has in essence replaced the slab. But, apparently, he doesn't consider aligning, levelling, etc as part of the job.
In most advanced countries, municipalities can be sued for large amounts of compensation for damages resulting out of any shoddy work. Perhaps the only way to get our BBMP to do its job properly is for us to get moving along similar lines.
Muralidhar Rao
COMMENTS
Sue them for damages
road height increase with relaying
sanjayv - 17 December, 2012 - 02:16
Maybe about 5-6 years back, there was a committee that went into the road work practices in Bangalore and put out a report. They had several criticisms including this height increase practice. Does anybody remember this report? Would be good to pull it out and see...
road quality and road laying technique
GNT - 16 December, 2012 - 16:56
One other issue that bugs me to no end is this whole road quality, maintenance and the way BBMP (for that matter, all the municipalities around the country) contractors lay the road.
In and around Marathalli area, BBMP would have laid the road 5-6 times in the last 3 years. (from Kalamandir to the Marathalli, Marathalli to Innovative Multiplex..etc) Each time they lay the road, the height between the foot path and the road decreases by 1 inch. At this rate, in another couple of years, the whole area will be at the same level.
I have never seen a road getting re-laid this many times ever. Does any civic body do a quality check and audit them? Don't they have to follow basic principles of civil engineering when they are doing the work and make sure the road is at the previous level at least?
(a side bar story from my home town, Guntur, in Andhra Pradesh - about 15 years back, there used to be 6 steps height from the road to my house. Now, we have one - and that too barely.. This last rainy season, the water started flooding the house. The story is the same. The local municipality doesn't bother to maintain the road at the same level, but put layer on top of layer.)
I am sure the same story repeats all across the country and my question to this group is, how do we make them accountable for this kind of nonsense?
-Pavan
Nice Pictures indeed
psaram42 - 16 December, 2012 - 03:48
The issue is not the slipshod work by the contracter. It is how the contrcters bills are cleared by BBMP for payment. It is high time that praja takes up the issue.
To institute legal proceedings however is a costly and long drawn affair.
we are to blame
srinidhi - 17 December, 2012 - 03:07
BBMP is only catering to the politicos and not any real purpose. That is the reason we have layers and layers of asphalt being laid everytime..this is also to do with the narrow expectations of public..
Public has a reference/crib always that the road laying works was a farce because only a thin 'cheap' coat of tar was laid as an eyewash..this is understood by corporators and BBMP that if they need to look good and sincere in the eyes of general public..lay a 'thick' coat of tar frequently around every occassion like elections..
BBMP engineers lack vision totally and nod uselessly to the demands of the non technical ppl and get layers and layers of tar onto the streets..
Road maintenance needs to be really scientific where they prepare the patch which is damaged. When they prepare, they will need to scrape off undulations and then lay tar on it..so that the height/level is not affected..unfortunately this does not 'look good' for others!
I am seeing new apartments
Anithasunil - 17 December, 2012 - 03:39
I am seeing new apartments (dwelling wiht 6-8 2BHKs on maybe 50x60 plots), putting their septic tanks on the middle of the road. They are rather small roads, and most often they leave behind potholes very soon.. Is there a way to complain against those?
On a different note, I had posted a complaint on the road condition on ichangemycity.com. http://www.ichangemycity.com/complaint/manhole_causing_traffic_blocks
It was said that if there are 20 people supporting the complaint, it would be highlighted ,and put on high alert etc. It has 33 supporters now, but no action or feedback so far. I got few emails from changemycity, saying the engineer would contact me. But, that hasnt happened either. Can anyone, who has had beter experience, advice me?
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