BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) continues to make headlines over delays in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout. It first drew attention for repeatedly missing deadlines to complete developmental works. More recently, it was in the news when Rajajinagar MLA S Suresh Kumar, a member of the State Legislature’s Petitions Committee, walked out of a meeting in protest against the BDA’s justification for the delays.
Now, the BDA is back in the news, this time for floating a tender on February 5, inviting bidders for the improvement and development of 9-metre, 12-metre, and 15-metre internal roads in the remaining blocks of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout using the soil stabilizing method. The project is valued at Rs 15,992.07 lakh, with a completion timeline of 24 months, including the monsoon period.
If the tender notification is any indication, the BDA is expected to complete the asphalting of roads in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout only after two years. However, given the BDA’s history of seeking extensions for developmental works, there is no assurance that contractors will complete the asphalting within the stipulated 24-month timeframe.
The time period given to the contractors to complete asphalting work has made people who bought sites at the layout and are planning to construct their dream and sweet homes. They said that some of the site owners have constructed houses at the layout but are suffering a lot due to lack of basic amenities.
Surya Kiran, spokesperson for the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Open Forum, stated that asphalting work in Block 5A to I Sector has yet to begin even after a year, while many roads in Blocks 6 and 7 also remain unpaved. “The 24-month timeline contradicts the BDA higher ups claim that 80 per cent of the work is completed. The BDA officials complain some people who bought 20×30 ft sites are misleading even though infrastructure is available.
If 80 % of the infrastructure is already in place, a few months are needed to complete testing, rectification, and asphalting. There is no need for 24 months to complete the asphalting works. There is no guarantee of BDA not coming up with a new story at the end of 24 months,’’ said Kiran.
A site owner, on the condition of anonymity, has said that awarding such a huge work to a single bidder is a flawed strategy. “Dividing the project into six packages would not only involve multiple agencies but also ensure completion of the work on time,’’ he said.
There is no need for 24 months to complete asphalting. There is no guarantee BDA won’t have a new story at the end of that time– Surya Kiran, forum head
Meanwhile, BDA Executive Engineer Ashok CN expressed confidence that contractors would complete the asphalting work within six months. “We allotted 24 months based on the scale of work, but the contractors can complete it within six months,” he said.
Will the asphalting works complete in six months? The site owners at NPKL have to wait and watch since the BDA is known for seeking extensions to complete developmental works.
