GBA Plans Five Year Maintenance Contracts for 1682 Kilometres of Bengaluru Roads
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) is exploring a plan to entrust private agencies with the long-term maintenance of over 1,600 kilometres of arterial and sub-arterial roads in Bengaluru for a minimum of five years. The proposal, which aims to improve construction quality and prevent unnecessary resurfacing, was first discussed during an internal meeting chaired by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on July 11.
Under the proposed Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), private contractors will be responsible for both the development and long-term upkeep of the city's major traffic corridors. This marks a significant shift from the current practice in Bengaluru, where newly asphalted roads typically carry a defect liability period of only one year. Short maintenance cycles often lead to repeated resurfacing of roads that are already in good condition.
GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao stated that a feasibility study is currently being prepared to introduce the model. He noted that construction quality is expected to improve because the responsibility for maintaining the roads will remain with the contractor for a longer period.
Following the initial July 11 meeting, the GBA met with commissioners from all five of the city's corporations to advance the proposal. On July 16, the authority issued an internal order directing chief engineers to identify specific road stretches that could be developed under the HAM model.
According to the GBA, there are 1,682 kilometres of arterial and sub-arterial roads in Bengaluru. The July 16 directive instructed chief engineers to categorise these stretches into three groups: white-topped, TenderSURE, and black-topped. Engineers must also report whether each stretch is currently under an active defect liability period or is slated for redevelopment.
The feasibility study will assess pavement quality, utility corridors, footpaths, and existing road conditions using dash camera surveys and field inspections. Once completed, the detailed reports will be presented to the GBA Executive Committee.
Urbanist Ashwin Mahesh welcomed the shift to longer contracts, noting it incentivises durable construction. However, he cautioned that changing the contracting model alone may not resolve quality issues unless citizens are involved in monitoring the work, pointing out that local corporations are currently understaffed and heavily reliant on outsourcing.
