BENGALURU: Citizens mocking Bengaluru’s bad roads on social media and circulating memes and invitations for dirt racing on city roads, are not likely to see any early relief. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials have declared that they need at least 40 days to repair roads, and put the blame on the unprecedented rain lashing Bengaluru for a good part of November. It means that roads will be pothole-free and tarred only in 2022.
“It is raining continuously. Also, it rains at different times in different locations. So we are unable to set a date. Civil works undertaken by Bescom, BWSSB and other utilities are also delayed. So unless laying of basic utilities and repairs are complete, city roads cannot be tarred,” said a senior BBMP official who did not want to be named.
The official said a lot of money has been wasted in relaying the same roads multiple times, due to lack of coordination among road engineers. “The same mistake will not be repeated. Roads will be repaired once all utility work is complete. The onus is on BBMP to repair roads. But looking at the present conditions, repairs will get delayed,” the official added.
Fed up with multiple excuses and repeated extension of deadlines, citizens are demanding immediate action. In some wards, citizens are inviting BBMP engineers, zonal and chief commissioners, MLAs and even the chief minister to take a city tour.
“It takes me 20 minutes to cover 800 metres. This is not because of the traffic, but the potholes, and non-motorable city roads. Each time a complaint is raised with BBMP, after 10 days or so we get a response that the road will be repaired after the rain subsides. Children get late to school every day because of poor road condition,” said Gautham L, of Mahadevapura.
Seema Saad, a resident of Magadi Road, said that BBMP officials reason that the road is handed over to KSHIP and KRDCL for repair. “Where is the road to hand over? Agencies dump mud on the road. Every day, riders slip, cars get stuck and long traffic jams are the new normal. The chief minister should visit us and see our problems,” she said.