BENGALURU: Just weeks after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) submitted to the Lokayukta that 99.5 per cent potholes were filled in the City, several of them have started to surface again. The Mayor had told Express in November that 95 per cent work of pothole filling had been completed on major roads while 98 per cent of the potholes on sub-arterial and ward roads were filled.
One executive engineer and two assistant engineers were also suspended for dereliction of duty during the pothole filling drive. But the situation of city roads is coming back to square one, exposing the shoddy works undertaken by the officials concerned just to meet the deadline set by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Stretches near Srirampuram, Subramanyanagar Main Road, Gayathrinagar, Infantry Road, Rashtrottana in Jayanagar and Maiyas restaurant in Jayanagar are again dotted with potholes and uneven road surfaces. In Koramangala, multiple potholes have developed near Viveknagar Junction.
The pathetic condition of roads has also dented the image of the I-T city across the country and abroad. Many firms are now mulling shifting their base to either better areas or outside the city.
“Koramangala is not only a residential hub, but also a major hub for tech startups and small businesses.With the deteriorating condition of roads, several businesses have shifted somewhere else of late. Many firms have moved out of Bengaluru as well,” said Salman H, a resident of Koramangala 8th Block. “It doesn’t make sense for small startups to lose precious employee hours due to bad roads.”
Roshan (name changed), a resident of Subramanyanagar said, “Subramanyanagar Main Road is in such a poor condition. When it rains, there are puddles all over. It is a narrow stretch of road which sees heavy vehicles. Life and limbs of motorists are always at risk here.”Anil Shetty, national president, Nav Bharat Political Party, is on an 8-day ‘Pothole Yatra.’ He said that his team has so far counted at least 320 potholes on major roads. “The BBMP had claimed that only 27 potholes are left. We want to expose their lie,” he said.
Bengaluru Mayor Sampath Raj, however, believes that the pothole issue was a primary concern until last month. “Most of the potholes have been filled now. At a few places roads are being asphalted and we have asked the officials to fill potholes first.”
Drum Jam
As part of the Pothole Yatra, a drum jam event was organised by the Nav Bharat political party in association with Sham Rock. The party members and volunteers organised a musical evening at Koramangala.