Pothole-riddled ORR service roads turn nightmare for Bengaluru motorists

Bengaluru: While the BBMP focuses on maintaining the Outer Ring Road (ORR) as it scythes through the tech corridor and regularly witnesses traffic snarls, the ORR’s service roads barely get any attention.

Although the service roads take the burden off the main carriageway, they are barricaded at many places due to Namma Metro works.

Bottlenecks are witnessed in the ORR along Hebbal, Nagawara, Veeranapalya, the Hennur signal and Banaswadi, forcing motorists to take the service roads pockmarked with potholes and peeled-off surfaces that slow down vehicular movement and leave motorists vulnerable to accidents.

Commuters and cab drivers DH spoke to say some patchwork has been carried out between Horamavu and Kalyan Nagar, but it is so shoddy that the surface is beginning to peel off in a month.

Motorists are concerned about the possible clogging during the monsoon.

The service road on either side of the Nagawara junction and Veeranapalya is punctuated with potholes, posing a serious threat to two-wheelers. The stretch opposite Hebbal’s Bethel Church has been shut due to metro works, hurting peak-hour traffic.

“The main road from the Hebbal flyover till Nagawara is almost closed, with too many barricades and the ongoing metro works,” said Anil Bishnoi, a retired Air Force Wing Commander in Nagawara.

Uneven patchwork in Babusapalya near Ganesha Temple. 

“The service road (therefore) is the only option for us. Due to debris and potholes on the way, commuting on the service road is a challenge.”

A two-km stretch of the service road from the Hennur junction to Nagawara junction is by far pothole-free. But the service road on the other side from Nagawara to Hennur is poorly maintained.

A senior BBMP official said patchwork has been carried out to keep service roads in good condition, while efforts are being made to maintain both the main arterial road and the service road.

“Getting labourers to do the work is a challenge and the tender terms are also different. With ongoing metro rail construction along the Nagawara and Hennur stretch, we acknowledge that service roads need tremendous
improvement,” he said.

A pothole in Nagawara junction towards Veeranapalya.