Death traps on the road

Every now and then, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) assures the City that the potholes on the roads will be filled. 

And yet, whatever efforts they claim they are making never seem to provide the intended results. Whether on main roads or bylanes, no relief is in sight. Some roads in particular are in worse condition than others — such as Cubbon Road, Lalbagh Road, roads in Basavangudi, Dairy Circle, BHEL Junction, Mysore Road, some streets in Jayanagar First Block, Tilak Nagar Road and Bannerghatta Road.

According to the BBMP public relations officer, SS Khandre, the tenders to fill the potholes have already been made. “The major, arterial and sub-arterial roads are being fixed by the road infrastructure department, while other roads are treated by the ward engineers.

Two days ago, we even bought a new machine for the pothole-filling operations. In association with the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), the tenders have all been passed at the zonal level,” he informs.

But with the rains, these potholes are causing no end to problems. Pedestrians and motorists alike express reluctance to take to the roads.

They point out that potholes can be extremely dangerous, especially after dark when they are not clearly visible. “Potholes are too common a sight in Bangalore these days. Some so-called ‘roads’ are filled with more potholes than proper tarring, which is such a shame for the City. No number of complaints seem to fix the problem,” says Joshua CD, a student of St Joseph’s College of Communication. “These potholes have become a death trap, more so during the monsoons when the rainwater floods the roads. This is particularly dangerous for pedestrians,” he adds.

Not only do the potholes prove to be an everyday hazard, they are an eyesore too. Many citizens complain that the sight of the broken road is something they are not proud of.
“The Garden City is losing the charm it once had more quickly than I ever thought it could. The potholes are ugly, inconvenient and unfortunately, can be seen at every nook and corner. What are the BBMP engineers being paid for?” questions Srinivas N, a resident of Mahadevapura. He adds that there is a careful, scientific manner in which potholes are supposed to be filled, unlike the haphazard fashion in which it is done here.

Another matter of concern is the lack of urgency to deal with this problem. Citizens are disappointed with the failure of the authorities to claim responsibility for the problem.
“This isn’t a problem that’s arrived overnight. First it was the garbage that was neglected and now, it’s the roads. Even pinpointing specific problem areas doesn’t seem to help,” asserts Divya, a young professional.