BBMP's Python machines not fast enough for all of Bengaluru's potholes

The expensive machines, each of which cost Rs 5 crore, are only being used in limited areas, as BBMP engineers say they do not work fast enough to be used under the pressures of a tight deadline

Hours after these potholes on Cubbon Road were filled, water leakage from an underground pipe added to the woes of motorists. BBMP has been racing against time to fill the potholes in the city following a HC directive | Pushkar V

BENGALURU: With the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) working on a stringent deadlines to fill up potholes, the Python machines it acquired could have been the saviours. But the reality tells a different story.

The expensive machines, each of which cost Rs 5 crore, are only being used in limited areas, as BBMP engineers say they do not work fast enough to be used at this time under the pressures of a tight deadline. “Python machines are being used mostly in core areas. In the outer areas, potholes are being filled manually. If we use Python machines now, the work will not finish on time,” a BBMP official said.
As per reports, the BBMP uses three Python machines, which can fill up only up to 150 potholes a day — an insignificant number considering that the BBMP had to fill up over 3,000 potholes in five days. The machines were taken on lease after the civic body signed an agreement with the American Road Technology and Solutions Ltd in 2013-14, with an annual contract of `6 crore per year.

The machines had been mired in controversy earlier in 2015. The firm had billed BBMP `15.2 crore for works done on 540 km of roads within the city by the machines. Then Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy had ordered an enquiry to verify the billed amount.

Mahadevapura needs more than pothole filling

Out of eight zones, the most number of potholes have been identified in Mahadevapura, and it wasn’t even a close contest. As on Thursday evening, 709 potholes were identified in the zone, with Yelahanka coming next on the list with a little more potholes. In spite of the high numbers, officials have confidently said that all potholes will be filled by Sunday.A BBMP official said compared to Mahadevapura, roads were better developed in the other zones long ago.

“Also, this zone has very high traffic. It has high number of vehicles, population density and villages that were later added to BBMP limits, which has contributed to the occurrence of so many potholes. Imagine the density of vehicles passing through Outer Ring Road, KR Puram, Whitefield, ITPL, with Metro work and many other developmental works going on,” the official said.For a long-term solution,the official said regular checks have to be carried out and contractors’ liability for
the roads until the liability period expires has to be enforced.