BENGALURU: For thousands travelling between the Kadugondanahalli (KG Halli) Railway Gate and Tannery Road, daily commute has become a slow crawl through heavy dust, deep potholes, and loose gravel. While BMTC buses and commuters take this two-way road towards Nagawara, poor maintenance and repeated diggings have turned the routine 20-minute trips into hour-long delays.
Bengaluru North City Corporation (BNCC) officials claim the road is damaged because of ongoing pipeline work. “The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is currently carrying out pipeline work, and until they complete work and hand over the corridor, our hands are tied,” said KG Halli ward engineer, adding that white-topping will begin only after the handover expected by this month-end and will finish by the year-end.
However, residents and shop owners say the road has been facing civic neglect for years. “This road has been in a bad condition for the past four or five years,” said Abdul Ahmed, a fruit vendor who has been running a shop there for more than a decade. “Every few months, a different agency digs it up. Instead of fixing it completely, they use temporary solutions. We stopped complaining because officials never respond,” he added.
These temporary repairs have made the stretch dangerous. Instead of macadamising the surface, workers dump gravel and dry cement over unpaved patches, increasing the risk for pedestrians and two-wheelers. “My son slipped and fell while walking to school this morning,” said Sharon, a local resident.
The delays and poor conditions also take a heavy toll on daily commuters and public transport staff.
“I have to leave home an hour early because the ride takes twice as long. The uneven road makes the bus ride feel like a roller coaster with violent bumps throughout, and the heavy dust has triggered regular coughs and skin allergies,” said Divya, a college student.
A BMTC conductor on the route added, “Operating on this route has become a nightmare. An electric bus got stuck in a deep crater last week, and breathing this dust all day gives me a continuous cough.”
K Sinchana