Bengaluru has been dealing with extreme pothole problems and poor road infrastructure, with engineers and staff working to make the city pothole-free.
However, the work has been stalled now due to the ongoing Karnataka caste survey. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has assigned its engineers and staff to conduct the socio-economic survey across Bengaluru, which has slowed down the pothole-filling work, according to a TOI report.
Here's what engineers said
One of the executive engineers said that the chief minister has warned them of strict action if the roads are not repaired within a month.
"The chief minister has warned us of stern action if the roads are not repaired within a month, and now, we have been directed to expedite the caste survey. We fear we will be at the receiving end," the engineer said, according to TOI.
Over 200 engineers from five municipal corporations under GBA have been working day and night to patch up potholes across the city, but now they are occupied with the survey.
One of the contractors said, "Owing to Ayudha Puja, contractors under GBA had already paused pothole-repair work for a few days. We are now ready to resume work, but as engineers and staff are busy with the survey, it is leading to further delays," the report stated.
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A resident of Lavelle Road told Toi that only a handful of pothole repairs are progressing in the Central City Corporation, while in other zones, the pothole repair work has virtually been halted.
A senior GBA official said that "about 60 per cent of pothole-filling work" was supposed to be completed by now. "Work will now resume only after the survey concludes," the official added.
Karnataka caste survey
Just a week after its launch in Bengaluru, the Karnataka caste census has now been facing problems in the city. People have complained that they are being forced to participate in the census even if they don't want to.
The survey, designed by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, includes 60 main questions and 20 sub-questions.
