Why Bengaluru minister called this road repair ‘waste of money’

Speaking to the media, Gowda said, “If high-traffic roads in the city get damaged, it causes severe inconvenience to the public. In view of this, white-topping works have been taken up on major roads since 2016. This work will help keep main roads in prime condition, prevent recurring damage, and build roads that last for 20 to 30 years.”

Rs 10 crore for white-topping one kilometre

“Developing one kilometre of white-topping road costs approximately Rs 10 crore. If the road is asphalted (tarred) during the same period, it requires resurfacing five to six times, which ultimately costs more. So, white-topping works are being executed with the objective of building durable, pothole-free roads, he added.

Already, 196 km of white-topping work has been completed, the minister said, adding that the construction of 126 km of new roads was underway, with 58 km completed. Officials have been instructed to complete the work within the next six months, he said.

“I have directed officials to exert appropriate pressure on contractors to ensure the swift completion of these projects,” Gowda said.

The minister further said that high-quality footpaths were also being built and that there was no issue with releasing funds to contractors executing white-topping works.

Piling up materials by the roadside, leaving gravel unattended, and unnecessarily digging up roads aggravate traffic congestion, Gowda noted, adding that all necessary safety measures would be in place at every location where white-topping work is underway.