The Hindu        21.03.2011

BBMP takes up cleaning work at night

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) took up a massive night cleaning programme across the city between 10 p.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday during which time debris on the footpaths were removed, potholes were filled, dried branches, buntings and banners were removed, the mouths of shoulder drains were cleared.

According to BBMP officials, 163 roads were identified for the intensive cleaning programme. A workforce of 4,600 took up the cleaning of the 111.5 km stretch in 60 sub-divisions with 284 tractors, 50 lorries and five earth movers.

Commissioner Siddaiah told presspersons here on Sunday that this night-long programme was essential in the civic body's efforts to beautify the city. “We will take up such initiatives once in 15 days in different stretches. We will identify 150 km stretches at a time. We cannot do this during the day because of the traffic,” he said.

He said that unauthorised hoardings dotted the cityscape. The zonal joint commissioners had been directed to identify all the illegal hoardings in their zones and submit a report.

“We will take up another night drive to remove these hoardings once we get reports from all the zones,” he said.

The Commissioner inspected work on Residency Road, Kamaraj Road, Old Madras Road, K.R. Puram, Ramamurthy Nagar, Tannery Road, R.T. Nagar. Councillors Sampath Raj, M. Nagraj and Anand accompanied the Commissioner during the inspection in their respective wards. At Tannery Road and Kamaraj Road, residents offered to join hands with the BBMP in the cleaning operation.

The Commissioner is now considering involving active residents and associations in BBMP's work. Officials said that the inputs of resident welfare associations was essential, as it would help in resolving local problems.

Officials said the BBMP has not incurred any additional expenditure on the nigh-long cleaning programme as it was taken up with the available manpower and equipment.