Hosur road is closed in Madiwala for over two weeks now. There are constructing a underpass near the Ayyappa temple. BDA is fast becoming like an organization which is doing multiple things at the same time at the inconvenience of the residents! For the greater good, I’m ready to sacrifice my precious time in traffic delays. But for how long? Why can’t BDA put up billboards announcing the date of completion?
A few years back, when the international stadium in Kochi was being built, they was a giant billboard near the construction site announcing the days to completion. The days to completion was calculated by looking at the days remaining to the initial project end date. The project took longer to complete. Instead of removing the billboard, the authorities kept decrementing the numbers to negative numbers, indicating the delay in the project. It was public display of accountability and shame at the same time.
BDA needs to take a lesson from Kochi and put up billboards on display. The advantages are two fold.
- We, the residents, know the end date of our traffic woes.
- In case the project schedule goes haywire, the authorities can feel ashamed.
See below for a map of the Madiwala construction area, a photo and a video of the construction site.
What the Kochi authorities did was truly admirable. An example that should be made compulsory, going by the nature of construction delays by the PWD in Mumbai and Kolkata also.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, underpass becomes enevitable but the inconvenience should be minimal to the users. Who cares. It shows how insensitive our authorities are.
ReplyDeleteIf the stadium example is going to be replicated everywhere it is sure that almost all the projects will get into negative figures. :P
ReplyDeleteMuscat is all set to host the 2nd Asian beach games in december this year. Undoubtedly its a huge thing for the country, they have never done such a major infrastructural project before. The best part was the timer they put up on the main square of the town a year before the due date. It reminds everybody of the days, hours and minutes left before the work needs to be complete. I think this thing works.
ReplyDeletePutting a bill board is of no use unless the officials and contractors read them every day before commencing the work!
ReplyDelete@Sucharita - It is the same story everywhere! The construction projects are always delayed. The only place amazed me was Hyderabad. In 6 months, they built a flyover in Punjagutta circle that helped reducing the traffic congestion in one of the major intersections.
ReplyDelete@Stranger - The authorities are insensitive. But the Bangalore authorities are the most insensitive. Who else will start 5-6 construction projects on one of the busiest roads at the busiest intersections? It has already become a nightmare here.
@ScorpioGenius - Yes, you are right! Let the authorities show the negative numbers. Instead of being that driving you down, use it to motivate yourself to complete the job faster!
@Sujata - The counter always works. This is true for any major games. If you go back a few years, there were such counters when we approached the millenium!
@SR Ayyangar - Thanks for dropping by.
It is okay if the officials and contractors do not read it. The billboard will serve as a "check" for their activities. We will be reading it and putting pressure on these people to get projects completed faster.
The countdown to project deadlines are really useful. Kochi needs plenty of flyovers to manage traffic, but nothing is being done, for fear of over-shooting deadlines maybe!
ReplyDelete@RGB - he he! Not the fear of overshooting deadlines. It is the pressure from different lobbies. Nobody wants to give away his piece of business. The flyovers means loss of business and traffic nightmare during the construction time! The merchants are not going to tolerate it.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, flyovers are necessary! Where will get the land to create that? By demolishing the existing ones? Will anyone willingly allow that? So, there is resistance from that side too!