BENGALURU: A gaping pothole, found to be three-feet-deep, was discovered on the Hebbal Flyover, causing people to press the panic button that the flyover was developing cracks — a sign that it could ultimately collapse.
Although it was only the top crust of the tar that had caved in, it presented a horrendous image like a vertically deep cave set on the flyover’s roadside (see pic).It was from poor maintenance, but could prove dangerous if ignored. As heavy vehicles and dense traffic pass on this flyover, there was every chance of the pothole quickly expanding.
The Hebbal Flyover, which is the main connecting link to the Kempegowda International Airport, is anyway in bad state, the latest pothole notwithstanding. Ramesh R, a vegetable seller near the flyover, “Recently a car escaped major damage by inches. It was travelling towards the airport and the driver did not see the pothole. When he drove over it, he lost control of the vehicle and rammed the car into the parapet wall. Fortunately, no one died. It was drizzling that day... what if there had been heavy rains?”
Another biker Lakshman blamed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Pallike. “It’s rainy season. They should take precautionary measures,” he said.
Civic evangelist, V Ravichander, said “Ideally, a flyover should be constructed on 18-metre road so that better space is given to pedestrians and road users beneath the flyover. The width of flyover lane should be between 3 and 3.2 metres.”On Wednesday, BBMP workers were seen repairing the pothole. But nothing can be done about the road width.