Committee to prepare SOP on B'luru's road infra features IISc and WRI experts

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

A lineup of professors from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), members from the World Resources Institute (WRI), and road engineers from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will constitute an 11-member committee to oversee the standards and procedures for improving Bengaluru’s deteriorating road infrastructure. The city’s road conditions have worsened throughout the year, due to poor workmanship and incessant rains. Large potholes, heavy waterlogging, and inadequate drainage have plagued the city, leaving motorists to bear the brunt of it. The SOP Committee will be led by the Chief Engineer and will oversee the standards and procedures (SOPs) for designing, constructing, and maintaining 12,878.78 kilometers of roads, including high-density corridors, arterial, subarterial, and zonal level roads under the BBMP.

The purpose of the SOP is to establish standards for road design, construction, development, re-asphalting according to vehicle density, road drainage systems, and embankment construction. Professors Ashish Varma, V. Sreenivas, Anbazhagan, and Dr. Satyavati from IISc, along with M. Chethan and Srinivas Alavilli from WRI, have been appointed to the committee. The committee will also include Chief Engineer B. S. Pralahad, Chief Engineer (Central Projects) M. Lokesh, Chief General Manager of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) Basavaraj Kabade, and the Superintending Engineer for the Electrical Department.

The Deputy Chief Engineer for road infrastructure will serve as the member secretary. The inclusion of Varma and Alavilli, both vocal in their assessment of Bengaluru’s poor infrastructure, may prove to be a strategic decision. Their criticism could be channeled into actionable ideas that can be addressed by the BBMP.