Bengaluru launches Rs 8,000 crore road improvement programme

The Karnataka government is undertaking road improvement works covering 2,500 km across Bengaluru at an estimated cost of Rs 8,000 crore, with asphalting, white-topping and pothole repairs among the key works.

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda announced the programme after a review meeting with commissioners and officials from all five city corporations on Thursday, August 27.

The minister said potholes on all arterial and sub-arterial roads would be surveyed and repaired on priority.

“Once potholes on the major roads are addressed, the focus will shift to ward roads,” he said.

The government is also planning to strengthen Bengaluru’s stormwater drainage network. The city has approximately 840 km of stormwater drains (rajakaluves) within the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits, of which around 640 km have already been developed.

A Rs 2,000 crore fund will be used to develop the remaining 200 km of stormwater drains.

Gowda also directed officials to replace faulty streetlights and accelerate installation of LED streetlights across the city.

“Contractors who fail to perform their work properly will be penalised,” he said.

The government will also put in place an auditing system to track the works of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited and Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Development Limited.

The minister said he would hold monthly review meetings to monitor the progress of civic works and grievances across the GBA area and assured that the pothole issue on major roads would be addressed within a month.