Newly tarred road in Bengaluru's Whitefield crumbles within two days

Bengaluru: The freshly repaired stretch of Channasandra Main Road in Whitefield began peeling within two days, exposing potholes and crippling traffic between the signal and T-Cross, leading towards Thirumalashettyhally.

Residents said the road had been deteriorating for seven months despite repeated complaints. A leaking roadside drain worsens the problem, causing waterlogging during rains and traffic jams lasting at least 45 minutes.

"If you use this road when it rains, you can get a full night’s rest waiting for your vehicle to move,” said Akshay M, who runs a small eatery nearby. "The potholes fill with water, so two-wheelers skid and everyone drives slower.”

The stretch lacks traffic signals and police presence at the T-junction, where vehicles cut across haphazardly. Construction on both sides adds to congestion, leaving no footpaths and further damaging the road.

Many commuters avoid the route despite it being the shortest. “We take inside roads instead, because the dust and potholes make this stretch unbearable,” said Trisha R, a college student.

“Heavy vehicles scatter debris everywhere. They even left a pile of sand that hardened after the rains and now acts like a speed breaker in the middle of the road,” added Mythreyi, a resident.

On August 27, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) used hot-mix asphalt to fill major potholes near the T-junction. But by Monday evening, the patch had given way, with sewage seeping through, raising questions about the quality of work.

M Lokesh, Chief Engineer (Zone-1), GBA East, said repairs were delayed due to a drain leak. “Once the BWSSB confirmed the leak was fixed, we proceeded with the repairs. The work met all standards and protocols,” he said. “The pothole has reappeared due to another leak.”

BWSSB Executive Engineer Venugopal said, “It most likely has to do with an underground water line and not sewage. A pipe burst beneath the road may have caused the seepage. We will inspect it on Wednesday and fix it at the earliest.”