Public anger over the substandard quality of newly laid roads in Bengaluru's Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) has prompted swift action from the city's development authority. Following a barrage of complaints and photographic evidence shared on social media, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Commissioner P Manivannan has directed officials to involve experts from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for random quality sampling and to make all third-party audit reports public.
Social Media Uproar Triggers Official Action
The controversy erupted when residents and site allottees began posting images online showing poorly executed asphalting work, with uneven surfaces and visible defects. In a direct response on platform X, Commissioner Manivannan engaged with the concerns. He specifically asked his team to provide details of third-party quality audits for the road works and to arrange for random sampling of NPKL roads by IISc experts for an independent quality assessment.
"Can you give details of the third-party quality audit for these road works and their report for this particular road? Also, can you get random sampling of NPKL roads for quality from IISc? This can be discussed in the next review meeting," Manivannan stated in his post. BDA officials have confirmed that the subject will be on the agenda for the next project review meeting. In a significant move towards transparency, the commissioner has also promised to invite site allottees to this review meeting, where the engineering team will explain their actions.
Allegations of Tender Irregularities and Long-Term Risks
Beyond immediate quality issues, the public outcry has cast a shadow over the tendering process itself. The NPKL Open Forum, a group representing site owners, alleged foul play in the award of contracts. They claimed that BDA officials did not publicise tenders adequately, limiting competition and ensuring contracts went to favoured contractors.
"Although three separate tenders were awarded for blocks 5, 6 & 7, a single contractor executed asphalt across all three blocks. The same contractor is now executing works in Blocks 1, 2, 3 & 4. Asphalting quality concerns have been repeatedly raised for over 2.5 years, yet there has been no visible improvement," the forum highlighted. Commissioner Manivannan has agreed to examine these complaints in an open session under public scrutiny, specifically looking into how contracts landed with just one or two contractors.
Citizens have warned that such shoddy work leads to water retention during rains, causing rapid deterioration and shortening the road's lifespan. This, in turn, imposes a higher long-term financial burden on the BDA for maintenance and repairs. The forum has called for a comprehensive review of soil stabilisation and asphalting quality across all nine blocks of the massive 4,040-acre layout located between Mysuru and Magadi roads.
BDA's Response and the Road Ahead
When confronted about the situation, a senior BDA official offered a different perspective, stating that the work is still in progress. "A road has to be physically inspected by engineers to assess its quality, and in this case, the work itself is incomplete, with only one layer laid so far," the official said. He assured that engineers will inspect every road and submit quality reports, with an internal deadline for completion set for March 31.
The official added that details would be shared with the public only after work completion, at which point public feedback would be considered. He urged against premature judgment while the project is ongoing. However, the commissioner's directive for an independent IISc audit and public disclosure of reports indicates a recognition of the need for greater accountability and quality assurance in the high-profile NPKL project, which has gained significant momentum in recent months.
