Karnataka High Court: Do BBMP engineers need classes?

It said the BBMP has now adopted modern and professional techniques to repair potholes.

Poor maintenance of drainage and footpath along with water stagnation and garbage dumping on the roads are contributing to the pothole menace in the city | Express

BENGALURU: "Your engineers must understand engineering. If they can’t understand the specifications, this court will make them understand. Do they need coaching classes?” the Karnataka High Court asked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Saturday. 

The court’s observation came after it went through a report submitted by the Court Commissioners -- Superintending Engineer Dinesh Agrawal, CWE (Army), and Uma M G, Member Secretary, Karnataka State Legal Services Authority -- after inspecting the ongoing pothole-filling works in the city.  The report pointed out the “poor knowledge of engineers of the civic agency”. 
At one point, a division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S G Pandit rapped BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad when he evaded replying to a specific question about maintenance of stormwater drains (SWD). 

In its report, the Court Commission stated that the engineers of BBMP -- Executive Engineer (EE) and Assistant Executive Engineer/Assistant Engineer -- who are supposed to be technically strong and who are supposed to ensure quality of the work, are totally unaware of the specifications and the technical procedures that are to be followed in the execution of the work. “None of the EE’s were aware if any filler material like cement is to be mixed in asphalt concrete. They were also unaware about quantity of bitumen emulsion per sqmt to be used in prime coat and tack coat,” it said. 

The report also mentioned that the work at all levels lacks monitoring and accountability. This apart, it said guidelines for construction and maintenance of roads have been issued by the BBMP, but are generally not being followed. There is no planning before any works are taken up.  

“Non maintenance of drainage and footpath, water stagnation and garbage dumping on the roads are contributing much to the menace. Work is being carried out in a hurried manner without clearing inlets of the drains and without addressing the water stagnation issue,” the commission said.  
It said the BBMP has now adopted modern and professional techniques to repair potholes. 

Commission’s Suggestions: 

1.  The commission has suggested that the BBMP work out a plan of action to tackle issues of pothole repairs.
2. Some potholes have been filled temporarily, but the potholes which are existing adjacent to such temporary works have been ignored
3. A mechanism for better coordination between BBMP and BWSSB needs to be evolvedThe BBMP may have to provide necessary training to its ground executives 
4. Tops of many manhole covers have sunk up from the road surface. This poses a very serious risk of accidents.