City roads in permanent state of decay

Battered stretches

Driving on City roads has become a harrowing experience, particularly after the onset of monsoons. With crater-like potholes, roads in Bangalore virtually test the driving skills of motorists.

Most of the roads were asphalted four or five years ago. According to sources in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, there are about 20,000 potholes on the City roads. As a temporary measure, the Palike has allotted Rs 10 lakh to each of the 198 wards to upgrade roads. The money will be released in two instalments. The civic agency is expected to take up the work once the rains subside.

Meanwhile, a blame game has ensued between the Palike and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board over the pathetic condition of the roads. The Palike authorities point to leaking pipes and choked drains, leading to overflowing of manholes - thus damaging roads.

The pothole-filling operations launched by the BBMP have not instilled confidence among the public. Residents scoff at the repair work - covering the road with soil and filling potholes with mud. The unfinished underground drainage work of the BWSSB has turned the roads virtually unmotorable in several areas, particularly on the outskirts of the City. Besides slowing down traffic, poor roads also trigger health problems.