First, B-SMILE has planned to introduce a new mandate requiring contractors to undertake 10-year maintenance responsibility for the reconstruction of the 17.01 km stretch of the Outer Ring Road between Silk Board and KR Puram. | Photo credit: file photo
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) seems to have finally found a way to end the recurring problem of contractors laying shoddy roads in the city.
As a first, B-SMILE has planned to introduce a new mandate requiring contractors to undertake 10-year maintenance responsibility for the reconstruction of the 17.01-km stretch of Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Silk Board and KR Puram.
The Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will extend the Defects Liability Period (DLP), which is currently two years. In order to increase the durability of the road, the use of Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) will be mandatory.
BS Prahallad, technical director of B-SMILE, told The Hindu that the change is to address concerns about contractors using low-quality asphalt, which often leads to potholes and premature damage to the road.
“Now, the winning contractor has to develop and maintain the entire stretch for 10 years, which will force them to use high quality asphalt. Such a system has never been implemented in Bengaluru, but we felt it was necessary for the ORR as we intend to develop the stretch to global standards,” Mr. Prahallad said, adding that depending on the outcome, the system could be extended to other major stretches.
However, the newly outlined mandate will require cabinet approval.
Implementation
The erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) usually mandated two years of DLP and three years of maintenance responsibility. However, almost all asphalt roads would soon deteriorate, prompting contractors to re-tessellate, resulting in a bumpy commute for motorists.
To enable long-term maintenance responsibility, B-SMILE mandates Full Depth Reclamation (FDR).
Mr Prahallad explained that in the past contractors could easily claim that pavement damage was caused by a poor subgrade rather than the quality of the surface. Contractors were previously only required to carry out overlay work (surface repairs).
“For ORR, we will ask them to redo everything from scratch, which is FDR. This eliminates the possibility of contractors blaming a bad sub-base,” he added.
To provide an additional layer of quality control, the SPV will also require suppliers to provide documents showing where the asphalt components were purchased. The aim of this step is to prevent the use of low-quality asphalt mixture. SPV mandates the use of VG30 bitumen.
Another B-SMILE official noted that the entire main road will not be re-laid, which could present problems such as uneven road surfaces in the future. A road outline document accessed by The Hindu shows that only 4 meters of the 10.5-metre main road will be reconstructed, while the rest will undergo minor improvements. The service lanes will be completely reconstructed.
A lot of attention
Mr. Prahallad explained that the ORR sees thousands of visitors daily and is a key IT corridor and a major thoroughfare of the city. Therefore, there are plans to upgrade the section to global standards.
“Not only roads, but we are also focusing on high-quality, international standards sidewalks, cycle lanes and cable channels. It will be a model road,” he added.
In addition, B-SMILE will stop outsourcing the development and maintenance of bus shelters to private advertising agencies and instead self-build state-of-the-art shelters across the stretch.
The project is estimated to cost ₹ 450 crore and is likely to start in February next year. If all goes according to plan, the renovation will be completed by the end of next year. BMRCL is also targeting December 2026 for the completion of Phase 2A of the Blue Line between Silk Board and KR Puram.
Published – 8 Dec 2025 07:00 IST
