Potholes, water logging, weekend to blame for Friday traffic pileup: Cops

Bengaluru: Rains, potholes and pre-weekend rush triggered traffic gridlocks across the city on Friday evening.

Commuters returning home from offices were stuck for more than two hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The congestion was not restricted to the Central Business District alone. Traffic pileups were reported from Bellary Road till Hebbal flyover and interior roads of South Bengaluru.

Traffic moved at a snail’s pace on Bannerghatta Road, Outer Ring Road, Old Airport Road and Hosur Road .

Even Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) B. Dayanand was at the MG Road junction managing traffic during the peak hours.

He said that rains and potholes created traffic jams. “Moreover, many people have taken out their cars fearing heavy rains on Friday too, which led to traffic jams,” he said.

Traffic expert, Prof M.N. Sreehari, wondered how the recently fixed potholes have come back to haunt the commuters. “This points to poor quality of work by BBMP contractors.

It is amusing that the BBMP commissioner had recently offered Rs 1,000 for spotting potholes.”