Krishna Byre Gowda Suspends Engineer and Blacklists Contractor in Sampangiramnagar

Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda recently ordered the suspension of an assistant engineer and the blacklisting of a contractor after discovering sub-standard road asphalting work during an inspection in Sampangiramnagar, Bengaluru. The action was taken against Assistant Engineer Poojarappa and the unnamed contractor after they allegedly colluded on the project, which failed to use the correct proportion of asphalt mix.

Following the site visit, the minister directed the Bengaluru Central City Corporation (BCCC) to suspend Poojarappa, who was responsible for overseeing the asphalting work in the locality. The contractor involved was also blacklisted from future civic works.

Speaking on the enforcement action, Krishna Byre Gowda stated that civic officials and contractors must perform their projects honestly on-site. He emphasized that contractors are a necessary part of development and accountability must apply to them to ensure they are positive contributors to the city. He expressed hope that these measures would lead to better governance and improved service delivery for residents.

The minister announced that he plans to conduct further inspections across different parts of the city to check ongoing works and assess their quality. He noted that while inspections alone would not fully solve the city's infrastructure issues, they are part of a larger effort to bring accountability and improve the overall system.

The quality crackdown comes as the state government ramps up infrastructure spending in the city. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has allocated Rs 2,000 crore for road development across all Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru. These road projects are scheduled to be selected based on recommendations from ward-level officials and elected representatives.

The issue of road quality has also drawn political attention. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya recently demanded a white paper within 30 days on the funds spent on road repairs over the past three years. Surya also called for a live infrastructure dashboard within 60 days to track timelines, budgets, and contractors before the new Rs 2,000 crore allocation is spent.

Addressing these demands, Krishna Byre Gowda stated that the administration is open to suggestions from all stakeholders to improve the system and work towards a better Bengaluru.