CM Siddaramaiah’s deadline ends, but Bengaluru still riddled with potholes

Bengaluru: Though Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had set an October-end deadline for the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to fill all potholes in the city, bad roads continue to trouble commuters.

In mid-September, after facing sharp criticism over the poor condition of the roads, the chief minister pulled up GBA officials and directed them to ensure all potholes were fixed before November.

However, many city roads remain riddled with potholes, offering little relief to motorists.

“They may have filled up some potholes here and there, but we hardly see any change. It is still a back-breaking journey for us since many potholes continue to trouble us,” said Rakesh R, who commutes between Chamarajpet and Rajajinagar daily.

Several commuters also said the repair work was substandard.

“Many potholes are still as they were two months ago. Even those that have been filled are uneven and difficult to drive on,” said Sushma B, a techie.

Recent rains have made the situation worse. Many citizens said they avoided using two-wheelers during rainy days for fear of hitting water-filled potholes.

“It is difficult to spot potholes when it rains, and the chances of hitting one and falling are high. My family insisted I take an auto or bus to work,” said Sahana B, a resident of Rajajinagar.

GBA officials said they had accelerated pothole repair works and are expected to complete them soon.

“We have filled many potholes. However, there are problems at a few stretches, and we are tackling them now,” said Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner, GBA.