HC seeks detailed report on road works by BBMP

BANGALORE: The High Court on Monday observed that it has been receiving statements after statements but nothing has been done, even for the courts from the past six months, and directed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to file report specifying all the details including the estimates and amount sanctioned for all the 95 works that it had implemented to improve the condition of the roads in the city.The division bench consisting of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice H G Ramesh observed, “We have been seeing statements after statements but, nothing is happening even to the courts, even after six months. If you have made false statements to the court, we will have to do something. You have officers everywhere, in each area.Ask them to file detailed reports stating when these works were taken, the estimates for each of these works, amount sanctioned and when these works were completed or when they would be completed.”The caseFormer president of Advocates Association Subbareddy had filed a PIL in 2005 requesting the court to direct the State Government to maintain the roads in good condition as their condition had deteriorated very badly.A special committee was constituted at the direction of the court to look into the condition of the roads in the city and a technical committee was constituted in 2007 to suggest means and measures to maintain the roads in good condition after the committee submitted five reports to the court.The technical committee had recommended 107 works to improve the condition of the roads. The BBMP submitted before the court that it had already implemented 95 recommendations made by the committee and was in the process of implementing the remaining 12 recommendations.Subbareddy submitted that though the BBMP has claimed that it had implemented 95 recommendations made by the technical committee, the conditions of the roads had not improved in the city. Advocate Aditya Sondhi submitted that there were at least 11,000 potholes on the roads in the city.Warrant withdrawnThe High Court on Monday withdrew the warrant issued against BBMP commissioner Siddaiah for not attending the court in a contempt case after the commissioner appeared before the court and made submissions in this regard.It may be recalled that the High Court had issued a bailable warrant against Siddaiah for not attending the court in the contempt proceedings initiated against him for not handing over the site as directed by the court within the stipulated time.