The white-topping project in Bengaluru is set to commence as the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner, Tushar Giri Nath, has instructed officials to make all necessary preparations. The project, known for its higher cost compared to traditional asphalting, involves overlaying bitumen roads with a layer of concrete to enhance durability and prevent potholes.
On Tuesday, July 2, BBMP representatives met with officials from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTCL) cables, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and Bengaluru traffic police to discuss the project's preparations. The various departments were instructed to conduct site surveys and submit reports on the relocation of water and sewer pipelines, cables, and gas pipelines which is expected to cause significant disruptions to vehicular movement for several months.
Chief Commissioner Giri Nath added that the project will be undertaken in 15 packages. Of these, 13 packages have been finalised, and work orders have been issued to the contractors, while the remaining two packages are still under government review.
Chief Engineer (Road Infrastructure) BS Prahlad stated that the white-topping project will cover approximately 150 km of roads in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore. He requested traffic police officers to identify alternative routes in areas where the work will be carried out and assured that the work would be conducted around the clock to meet the given timeline.
The roads identified for white-topping include,
MG Road
Residency Road
Tannery Road
Mosque Road
DJ Halli Main Road
Hennur 80ft Road
CBI Road
Dinnur Main Road
Malleswaram 8th Main Road
Holiday Village Road (near Kanakapura Road)
Bull Temple Road
Sarjapur Road