The Times of India 02.09.2010
Widened roads figure way off the mark
BANGALORE: BBMP's ambitious budget presented in the council on Monday seemed to have gone over the top in presenting data of completed works.
Two glaring examples: The `1,472-km length of arterial and sub-arterial road widened and upgraded in 2009-10' and the `9,000 houses constructed for SC/ST under Dr B R Ambedkar Housing Project'. In reality, only 3,000 houses were completed that year.
Budget-makers in the BBMP readily admitted to the errors. "Yes, it's a mistake. We'll clarify during the council meeting,'' one of them told TOI. But how did this error happen? There was no answer.
The special budget interactive session from Thursday at BBMP council will now start with these clarifications. However, revised figures on completed road works are still not very clear.
Budget-makers maintain: "It's not possible to have widened 1,472 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in 2009-10 but BBMP's overall road development works could add up to this.''
According to BBMP records, only six major roads of 11.65 km were widened that year. This includes Palace Road, Race Course Road, Bellary Road, Hosur Road, Seshadri Road and Hare Krishna Road. Another 23 roads of 59 km were taken up for widening in newly-added areas and most are under progress.
Further, records show only 146.398 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads were upgraded in 2009-10. The total length of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city adds up to 1,940 km. Does this mean that over 75% of major arterial and sub-arterial roads were widened and developed within a single year?
KNOW YOUR ROADS
Total area under BBMP: 800 sq km
Total roads: 9,697 km
Arterial roads: 923 km
Sub-arterial roads: 1,017 km
Budget speech extract
"In 2009-10, a major thrust was made to create better infrastructure facilities in the city. At least 1,472 km length of arterial and sub-arterial roads were widened and upgraded...''
