The BBMP has identified 20 roads in the central business district (CBD) and the Metro corridor to implement Tender SURE (specifications for urban road execution).
The BBMP has got the government's nod for it. Now, it will be mandatory that all roads be built as per Tender SURE’s specifications. Tenders will soon be called for the project, which was proposed by City Connect.
The BBMP and BMRCL will share the cost for re-laying the roads along the Metro corridor.
“The Metro has not done anything for the (improvement of) roads along Reach 1. Considering that more people will use the Metro if there are better roads, they have agreed to share the cost of `50 crore,” said BBMP commissioner MK Shankarlinge Gowda. Once other reaches of the Metro are ready, the same policy will be followed, he added.
“It will be the BMRCL’s prerogative to ensure that the roads along the Metro corridor and within 500 metres of the station are well maintained,” said RK Mishra, member of Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure and Development Task Force (ABIDe). He is also a member of the BBMP's technical advisory committee
“We will begin with these roads, but whether all roads in the city will be done in a similar manner will depend on funds. We will need a partner,” said Gowda.
The corporation is open to tying up with institutes, software companies etc to share the cost of improving the roads.
Another ABIDe member, Ashwin Mahesh, said not only is the project a good start, but once the roadwork is completed, contractors will have to build roads following these specifications.
“Although the cost of the project will be higher, the BBMP will save in the long run, considering that the roads will last longer. It will also cut down on scams and ensure transparency.”
The project
Tender SURE is a street design manual that gives specifications on how a particular road should be built. Apart from detailing the amenities that every road should have, it also specifies the materials that are to be used for a particular kind catering to a specific type of traffic. SURE specification roads ensure that water lines, OFC cables and electrical cables are shifted to the roadside and are covered with a trench so that work can be completed without digging up the road. The improved road will also ensure right of way for pedestrians.
