BBMP makes it easier to claim pothole compensation

Joint commissioners of the BBMP’s zonal offices have been given the responsibility to receive applications from people seeking compensation for accidents caused by potholes and bad roads.

While the civic body decentralised the process to provide immediate relief to the victims, the lack of awareness about such a compensation policy has kept many out of its reach.

The power to disperse compensation was earlier with the BBMP’s special commissioner (revenue).

Over the last few months, there has been an increase in accidents caused by potholes. Some vehicle users have even lost their lives on the city’s awful roads.

In December 2019, the BBMP had announced that it would pay up to Rs 3 lakh to serious victims of accidents caused by bad roads or potholes and Rs 15,000 in case of minor injuries.

Victims can seek compensation within 30 days of the accident. They have to submit proof that the accident was caused by bad roads. They can do this by providing CCTV footage, a police complaint or an eyewitness.

An informal conversation with people close to victims of pothole-related accidents, however, found that they were not aware of the compensation announced by the civic body.

Sources in the BBMP said that only one person claimed compensation for an accident caused by a pothole on Hennur Main Road.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said the approval process had been decentralised to the zonal level. “We have authorised the joint commissioners to collect applications, verify the claims and order the amount of compensation. This will help reduce the travel time of the applicant,” he said.

Vijayan Menon, who had petitioned the high court seeking a compensation programme for pothole victims, asked the BBMP to make the entire compensation process online. “The process is currently marred with red tape. The BBMP should appoint a senior officer to accept such applications and dispose of them immediately without making the applicant run from pillar to post,” he said. “The process should be entirely online.”