If the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is to be believed, just 448 potholes are left on the city's roads.
But what really takes the cake is the civic body's claim that there are no potholes in its eastern zone which comprises thickly populated areas such as Shivajinagar, Bharathinagar, Vasanthnagar, Jayamahal and DJ Halli. A DH journalist found dozens of potholes on Nandidurga Road, Jayamahal Main Road, Millers Road, Lady Curzon Road and Infantry Road.
This reporter counted at least 50 potholes between Dasarahalli and Chikkabanavara in northern Bengaluru and another 50 from Lalbagh to RV Teachers College. Rainfall over the last few days seems to have worsened the situation.
Confronted with the ground reality, a senior BBMP official cited the long holidays for stopping the road repair and promised that the pothole-filling would begin on Monday. The official closely monitors the pothole-filling work but has refused to be identified.
The civic body's claims fly in the face of its assertions in the high court. The court has pulled up the civic body many times for not filling potholes and is set to resume the hearing on October 26.
Motorists were amused by the BBMP's claims. "It's hard to find a road without potholes in the entire city. We have been hearing a lot about deadlines and assurances, but nothing seems to be happening despite the court's orders," said Suman Kumar, a motorist from Defence Colony, Bagalagunte.
The traffic police, too, are unhappy about bad roads which, they say, cause accidents. According to an officer from the Peenya traffic police station, vehicular movement slows during peak hour near the Bagalagunte signal because of potholes.
Mahadev Kumar, a motorist from Dasarahalli, said he posted a complaint on the BBMP's FixMyStreet app about potholes near the pipeline road but there had been no response.
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