Bengaluru puts Rapid Road project on hold, has no plans for white-topping

The civic body says it can’t go ahead as the technology partner, Ultra Tech, hasn’t paid the IISc its consultation fee for conducting a feasibility study.

Undertaken on a pilot basis, the project has 5-ft-wide, 2-ft-long and 7-inch-thick concrete slabs, which were seen as an alternative to white-topping. (Express Photo)

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The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will put on hold the expansion of its Rapid Road project as the technology partner has not paid the consultancy fee to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), which was engaged to do a feasibility study after a pilot project developed cracks at Indiranagar.

The IISc has asked for a consultancy fee of Rs 23.41 lakh, which Ultra Tech was supposed to pay, according to the BBMP. Since the IISc could not carry out the evaluation, the civic body has decided not to go ahead with the project. Nor does it have any plan for white-topping, whereby bitumen roads are given a concrete layer on top.

“Our technology partner, Ultra Tech, has not made the payment to the institute. So we cannot go ahead with the project. Of 250 slabs used to construct the 375m road using the technology, eight have developed cracks. These are no major cracks that require us to replace the project itself. Since more research is required as far as the technology is concerned, we have put it on hold. This stretch will not be constructed again with white-topping. It will remain as it is. This is a very good road otherwise.” B S Prahlad, BBMP chief engineer (roads), told indianexpress.com,

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Undertaken on a pilot basis, the project has 5-ft-wide, 2-ft-long and 7-inch-thick concrete slabs, which were seen as an alternative to white-topping. The road was inaugurated in December 2022.

In another development, after a gap of one and a half years, Indiranagar’s 100ft road, which witnessed continuous digging under the TenderSure model, was opened to the public on February 27. BBMP officials said the footpaths would be ready in a month.

“Bescom (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company) and the BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) are laying cables and pipes. So another one month will be required to complete the project,” said Vinayak Sugur, BBMP chief engineer (projects).

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