The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) along with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), The Ugly Indian (TUI) and Embassy Group has joined hands to give the pillars of infrastructure projects, such as those of flyovers and the Namma Metro a facelift to improve the aesthetics of the city.
As many as 101 pillars under the elevated expressway that connects Hebbal to Kempegowda International Airport have been identified for implementation of the beautification project and transform them in more colourful avatars. As per NHAI officials, pillars on a 5-km stretch from Kodigehalli to Jakkur are being coated with weatherproof external paint and the painting job is at the verge of completion.
Volunteers working for the project cleaned the pillars and removed the posters before implementing the paint job. The Ugly Indian, a group which anonymously for cleaning the city has created a design to be painted on the pillars keeping in mind that the designs and colours should not distract the drivers. As per a representative from The Ugly Indian, the colours used are neutral; the design created is repetitive and predictable with no texts. Also, the design is not reflective.
According to BBMP officials and The Ugly Indian, painting pillars make the streets aesthetically pleasing and also help us to keep the pillars free of garbage, posters and graffiti. It is an attempt to keep the pillars clean and bring in behavioral change among people.
Moreover, The Ugly Indian is also working on painting pillars of the Electronic City elevated expressway with the help of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. As per TUI, of 270 pillars, 120 have been painted and the remaining will also be painted soon. The group is further planning to paint the elevated stretch on Tumakuru Road which has over 200 pillars in the near future.
BH Anil Kumar, BBMP Commissioner told a national daily that the corporation had invited corporates and anyone who is interested in adopting and maintaining flyovers and underpasses under CSR. He said, “A few corporates have come forward to maintain a few flyovers. Our aim is to make all the flyovers and underpasses aesthetically pleasing, and will support whoever comes up to maintain them.”
On the joint effort for beautification, SP Somashekar, Project Director, NHAI said that similar efforts by the government agencies, private companies and the public at large would bring about environmental awareness and better urban infrastructure in cities.
