BENGALURU: Potholes continue to heap miseries and injuries on Bengalurean motorists. A 47-year-old woman, seated pillion, sustained serious injuries when her daughter, who was riding the two-wheeler, lost control and fell while trying to avoid a pothole. A Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus moving next to them ran over Uma Devi’s leg, near Lulu Mall in Binnypet, around 9.15am Monday.
Her daughter Vanitha, 30, too sustained injuries. Uma Devi was rushed to Bowring Hospital, and later shifted to ESI Hospital in Rajajinagar. Although the pothole forced Vanitha to suddenly apply brakes, leading to the ghastly accident, BBMP officials have blamed bus driver, Maruthi, for negligence. Maruthi was arrested and later released on station bail.
A case was registered with Malleswaram Traffic Police division police. As per the report, it was the mistake of the KSRTC driver. Incidentally, as the accident took place at a spot which is on the border of the jurisdiction of Malleswaram, Rajajinagar and Magadi Road traffic police divisions, police personnel from all three rushed to the spot.
Vanitha, who is married and lives in Srinagar, blamed the potholed road. She said, ‘’My mother (a resident of Gayathrinagar) had come to visit me in Srinagar, and around 9.15am, we were heading towards Gayathrinagar. While trying to avoid the pothole, I applied brakes, skidded and fell down. The bus ran over my mother’s leg. Now doctors at ESI have told us she is bleeding profusely and needs to be shifted to MS Ramaiah Hospital for further treatment.”
The incident led to protests by various pro-Kannada activists and Aam Aadmi Party workers, demanding justice and an answer to the potholes of Bengaluru. They said most city roads are scarred with potholes, and BBMP is doing little or nothing about it. KSRTC Division Control, Majestic, Chandrashekhar visited the accident spot, and told The New Indian Express that they were advised by police not to meet the family members of the victim yet, due to the protests.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, however, said the incident did not occur because of the pothole. “As per police information, the incident is not because of the pothole, but because of the driver’s negligence. We will wait for the final police investigation to decide the next course of action,” he said. Hours after the incident, BBMP deployed its men and machines to fill up the pothole that Vanitha said caused the accident. Meanwhile, K L Vinay, a retired GM of NABARD, suffered a fracture as he fell down while trying to avoid a ditch near Peenya Metro station.
KILLER POTHOLES
On August 18 Suprith J (44), a private firm employee died after his two-wheeler fell into a pothole at Herohalli, with him hitting a pole and injured himself badly and died due to injuries at hospital
On March 14
Ashwin KJ (27) died after he was flung away from the impact of his two-wheeler coming in contact with a pothole, injuring him in the head
