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Potholes on Roads tarred one month back!!
Written By anusree.kailash - 14 August, 2008
Bangalore Infrastructure RTI Road Works Koramangala Action Road Ejipura Quality Potholes
[Sep 5 spotlight post - an example for us to just go do it - read Anusree's experience {admin}]
An Arterial road in Ejipura got tarred in July. Within just 3-4 weeks there are major potholes on major junctions of the road.
One wonders ...
- What is the expected lifetime of a road?
- What are the specifications the road is supposed to be made with?
- What is the system in place to gauge whether the quality of the road is as per specifications?
- Who is responsible to answer for such roads?
- What is the value of the MLA promising tarring of roads and even getting it done when it is done to last hardly a month?
- What do we do about it?
[PS: Sep 2 - change the tone of the post from Complaint to Action {blr_editor}]
COMMENTS
tsubba - 14 August, 2008 - 23:10
anusree.kailash - 15 August, 2008 - 14:47
... a lot. Met some neighbors today who are also going to join me in taking action on this. Need to find out KWA and start working right away. I guess as time passed, the "riders" get more credibility. Thanks for getting me started!!! :D
blrpraj - 16 August, 2008 - 08:57
Anusree,
To answer 2 of your questions - what the specifications are & system in place for gauging the quality; the Indian Roads Congress is the enity that has the answers; you or your civic forum may have to buy those publications in order to be armed with better knowledge to tackle the problem effectively. I don't know if Karnataka PWD(or other city PWDs for that matter) is/are required by law to comply with IRC specifications or if those specifications are just suggested recommendations(anybody knows?) ->
quality control & contract management
http://www.irc.org.in/publicationforsale/preparation.htm
road design -
http://www.irc.org.in/publicationforsale/bituminous.htm
http://www.irc.org.in/publicationforsale/geometric.htm
Meeting to file RTI for this issue
anusree.kailash - 21 August, 2008 - 10:47
There is a meeting planned with Mr. Anil Kumar, convener of the RTI group Kria Katte (Karnataka Right To Information Activists (KRIA) Forum) to file an RTI to find out the details behind the current state of the road and to plan future steps in this regard as well.
Venue: At his residence (in Ejipura)
Time: 7:30PM
Date: 22nd Aug, Friday (tomorrow)
If you want to join please let me know. My number is 9886994367.
silkboard - 14 August, 2008 - 20:46
This is what some of us will suggest
- Don't do it alone
- Get in touch with Koramangala RWA (Koramangala Initiative folks)
- File RTI applications (not as an individual, but as KI) to get the details of this work carried out
- Total cost
- Contractor details
- Quality commitments mentioned in the state of work
- Share response to RTI here and everywhere
Above wont do anything, but if 4-5 of us do this activity for all our areas, and do it a few times, folks will take note that we are watching.
However, mind you that there are enough "riders" that can be used by BBMP or the contractor to defend these potholes. Some that I have heard from a few first/second hand experiences
- Unexpected rains
- Heavy vehicles were allowed on this road, they shouldn't be
- Road was vandalized on purpose to tarnish our reputation
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