Stung by Swachh survey, BBMP launches massive cleaning drive

BENGALURU: Stung by the low 36th rank in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-2025 ranking, the BBMP has taken up a massive cleanliness drive. After potholes popped up on roads following another torrid spell of rain, the civic agency on Saturday launched a desperate drive to fix the poor state of affairs. Zonal commissioners, including Digvijay Bodke of the South Zone and R Snehal of the East Zone, monitored the drives. At Mahadevpuras Panathur, where potholes were a major concern, the officials from the Major Road Infrastructure Department of BBMP filled in big potholes at Kadubeesanahalli and the surrounding areas. Bodke and Chief Engineer Basavaraj Kabade inspected the Madivala Market area and the public toilet. In East Zone, Zonal Commissioner Snehal inspected Hosur Road, Anepalaya Junction and got the waste, encroachments of the footpath, and others cleared. The authorities in the zone covered a 4.4 km stretch covering Shivajinagar, CV Raman Nagar, Shanthi Nagar and Pulakeshinagar areas. The biggest concern regarding potholes was in the IT Belt, Mahadevpura, as there are 630 odd potholes, and such craters slow down traffic and also result in accidents. The Road Infrastructure Department Engineers are working day and night and fixing the potholes, and the zonal authorities are also keeping a watch on such stretches and getting the pothole filling work on priority as there is a standing instruction from the Chief Commissioner to fix potholes at the earliest, said K Dakshayini, Joint Commissioner, Mahadevpura. Senior engineers from the Road Infrastructure Department say that wet mix is being used to close small potholes with immediate effect. The hot mix is prepared and used whenever there is a few-hour gap from moderate rainfall, as the water damages the aggregators. If the stretch is big and only asphalt is the solution, that will be done after rainfall stops, and only temporary filling is being done in such cases, said the official.