Commuters suffer as BWSSB digs up road

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) continue to work at cross purposes, not withstanding the criticism over lack of coordination.
The BWSSB is now digging up Thyagi M Palanivelu Road, linking Victoria Road and Old Airport Road, near the Army Public School, to replace a 40-year-old pipeline, because of which the stretch is witnessing traffic snarls.

The BBMP had relaid the road only some months ago.

BWSSB officers claimed the matter was discussed before chief secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar at the inter-department coordination committee meeting, where it was decided that the water supply utility will take permission from the BBMP before it cuts the road and also deposit the road-cutting charges.

BBMP road infrastructure wing’s east zone executive engineer KM Shivaprakash claimed the road digging work has been undertaken only after BWSSB deposited Rs 25 lakh to the civic agency.

BWSSB engineer-in-chief Kemp Ramaiah said the water pipeline is being changed as it was laid over 40 years ago and has been developing leakages frequently. “It’s better to change the pipeline instead of taking up repair works. There won’t be any leakage for the next few decades, if the pipeline is replaced,” he said.

BWSSB executive engineer (southeast) Ramanand said the work was undertaken keeping in mind the commuters as it is one of the busiest roads in the city. A mock drive was conducted for half an hour in the presence of traffic cops to see the extent of congestion that would be caused due to the pipeline-laying work.

Ramanand claimed the 1.8km pipeline will be replaced till Domlur flyover, but traffic police and BBMP are granting permission in stages.

Work to be completed in a week

“Currently, permission has been given for 800m and the work began on Thursday. It will be completed in a week. The remaining stretch can also be completed in 45 days, but police have told us that further permission would be granted only after the completion of the first 800m stretch.”

Asked about the pipeline being laid in the middle of the road, he said the road is narrow and is surrounded by defence land. “Parallel to the water pipeline is a 220KV power cable. So we can’t shift the pipeline to the roadside,” he added.

Birla Mathew, a commuter, said: “I stay in Koramangala and work in Whitefield. Due to traffic jam on intermediate ring road, I use this road near Army Public School. On Thursday there was huge traffic pile-up. It took 45 minutes to reach Lower Agaram Road from Domlur flyover.”