A spell of rain, potholes everywhere in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Two bouts of rain and we have pothole-filled roads. Even though monsoons are yet to hit the city, with just two days of rain, even the upmarket areas of the city including the Central Business District (CBD) are now full of potholes on the major roads. As a result both drivers as well as pedestrians are finding it difficult to use these roads.

Even the BBMP officials themselves agree that the condition of roads in the residential areas is also no better. It all started with heavy rain on Thursday and Friday evening. But following two days of heavy rain most of the major roads of the city are now full of potholes. Major roads which connect the important landmarks of the city including the railway station and the Kempegowda bus terminus, Vidhana Soudha have also been hit by the rains.

According to passengers, due to the potholes, travelling on major roads such as Nrupatunga, Field Marshal Cariappa and Brigade have become a nightmare. The road connecting both the city railway station and the Kempegowd bus terminus which is used by several lakh people on a daily basis are also in a bad condition. Speaking to this newspaper, Ms. Shymala Sukumar, a resident of Kalyannagar alleged that most of the main roads of Bengluru East area were now filled with potholes.

“I travel to Corporation every day. I am using all the major roads. But since the past two days it has become very difficult to drive on these roads. Every time we complain, officials say that they will be repaired soon. But nothing is done at the site,” she alleged. According to the BBMP officials, the problem is more severe in West Bengaluru and the newly added areas. “The pothole problem is across the city. As elections are nearing, everyone is raising the issue. We are also working on a war footing. But if rain continues for a couple of days the situation may turn worse,” explained an officer.

Residential areas: The condition of roads is no way better in the residential areas. Speaking to this newspaper, a BBMP officer said that they were receiving the highest numbers of complaints from the residential areas. “Roads are washed away in many places. On Friday night we received complaints even from the UB city area where it was alleged that drain water was overflowing on the road and that the road had become totally non-usable,” he said.