The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will only be commencing white-topping works in the Central Business District (CBD) areas, including the busy M.G. Road, after April 26, the first phase of voting in the state.
BBMP Chief Engineer B.S. Prahlad said the civic body is planning to initiate the works on the project after April 26. “We have received the necessary nod from the government, but the full fledged work will start only after April 26,” he said.
The government has allocated about ₹1,200 crore for the project to improve the quality of the road. However, when the allocation was made, many citizens opposed the project terming it a waste of funds in an already developed area.
Former BBMP councillor Abdul Wajid from the Congress said the allocation for white-topping in Bengaluru core area is to inform the public about the government’s commitment towards invigorating the city’s road infrastructure.
Another former councillor said the move by the government is strategic as they know the pulse of the people at the time of the polls. Although local issues play a less significant role during Lok Sabha polls, trouble in the backyard will influence voters, he said. “In a city like Bengaluru which is infamous for traffic, the new white-topping project in CBD area will worsen the situation,” he added.
Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst, feels there may be a combination of multiple factors. “There is a general opinion that the State does not have a good fiscal situation owing to the guarantee schemes. The allocation is a posturing to show that despite dearth of funds, the State is mobilising funds for infrastructure,” he said.
