Krishna Byre Gowda
Bengaluru: Amid outrage over schoolchildren spending hours in traffic and worsening congestion on the Varthur-Gunjur stretch (SH-35), Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda convened a high-level review meeting and directed officials to prioritise pothole repairs, warning that contractors could face action if delays persist.
Sources said officials, when questioned about delays, pointed to the contractor, while also acknowledging difficulties related to land acquisition. Officials said the ACS has called both contractors for a meeting Monday to explain the delays. “If there’s no concrete explanation, the ACS is likely to recommend replacing the contractors,” a source familiar with the discussions told TOI. Residents said that if the contractor is deliberately delaying the project or failing to work, the agency should be replaced immediately.
Gowda directed contractors to immediately repair potholes and damaged stretches between Brigade developments and Gunjur, while prioritising repairs on Varthur-Kodi Road. They added that the minister and authorities must now shift focus from meetings and inspections to visible progress on the ground.