Bengaluru: The BBMP already has its hands full and gets flak from the public for not performing up to expectation. But now, they have one more chore to do... that of covering the names of corporators, members of Assembly and Parliament on the address boards put up at the corner of each street.
It has also decided not to write the names of elected representatives on such boards in future, as it is a waste of time and money.
The address boards are put for the convenience of the public to help them find streets or crosses or roads without getting lost. They act as direction for postmen, delivery boys and courier boys. These boards are being covered now, because of the election code of conduct in place.
“These address boards will be covered with stickers and after the results are announced, they will have to be repainted with the names of newly elected representatives. This is the usual drill for corporation, Assembly and Parliamentary elections and it costs a lot of money and manpower. We now require around 880 people for this work and spend several lakhs, which is a complete waste,” a senior BBMP officer said.
“There are 90,000 roads under the BBMP limits. Every ward will have 500 to 1,000 address boards and we will require more than a week to cover the names with stickers or paint. Assistant engineers in every ward have been assigned the task of covering up the names. They will have to complete the task within the stipulated time and submit a report,” he said.
Another officer said, “In the next meeting, we will insist that the practice of painting the names of the elected representatives on boards should be stopped. We can use the same money for better purposes.”
