BENGALURU: A comprehensive report submitted by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) to the Karnataka High Court has revealed that citizens have reported 5,435 issues related to potholes and pedestrian footpaths in their neighbourhoods in the eight zones of BBMP. The report, placed before a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty, disclosed that some citizens have also sent photos and videos of potholes and the bad condition of the footpaths in their localities to the WhatsApp group created by the KSLSA.
Among the 5,435 issues flagged, 437 relate to potholes and road issues and 4,998 are related to footpath issues. The court had sought a report after ascertaining the quality and condition of the roads and footpaths in BBMP limits, in connection with public interest litigation filed by Vijayan Menon and others from Koramangala.
The highest number of issues related to footpaths were from the East, Bommanahalli and Mahadevapura zones. These included blocking of footpath due to parking of vehicles, dumping of garbage and being occupied by street vendors. Some of the footpaths are encroached for construction and some are damaged, according to the report.
After perusing the detailed report, along with suggestions submitted by the Member-Secretary of the KSLSA with the help of stakeholders, the court adjourned the hearing to March 9. It also directed the two chief engineers (road infrastructure) of BBMP to be present through video conference on the next date of hearing and explain the technology that can be used to fill potholes.
Observing that it will be appropriate if a senior officer of BBMP studies the report, the court asked the KSLSA Member-Secretary and BBMP to host the report on their websites. Meanwhile, the BBMP has sought five weeks time to submit an action plan on the issue.