Bengaluru: Motorists fume as rains deepen potholes
'It is very dangerous for two-wheeler riders to drive on these dug-up roads'
Bengaluru: “It is very dangerous for two-wheeler riders to drive on these dug-up roads and sadly with heavy rains these pits cause horrific accidents,” said Sangeetha Mahesh (34), who stays in an apartment located on the NAL Wind Tunnel Road. A ride on that road on any given day leaves commuters with broken backs or accidents claim local residents. They assert that their woes get compounded during heavy downpours.
“There are so many accidents on this road because of the water filled puddles,” says Sreedevi a homemaker who lives in Murugeshpalya. A drive past Wind Tunnel Road to Hilton hotels at EGL CAmpus on a rainy day has caused nightmares to the commuters. “I have no clue what the civic authorities are doing. Everyday is a torture to ride past this stretch. BBMP should do something about this road,” added Kailash who works at an MNC at the EGL campus.
With continuous rains in the past two days it’s the same story in most parts of the city. Traffic flow is badly hit and those commuting long distances to their work places have to negotiate pit-laden roads. Regarding the issue, urban expert and member of Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), BBMP, R.K. Misra asserted, “BBMP’s lackadaisical attitude is the one that needs to be blamed for this incompetent handling of the pothole and drain crisis. The BBMP engineers don’t know about the pothole filling exercise, which also combines with the efficient handling of waterlogging.”
Citing an example Misra pointed out that Trinity junction does not have proper drains and is ridden with potholes. “If it rains there the water is stagnant and it stays for hours and that is why the potholes.” “Potholes are formed because of waterlogging on the roads. Sadly, most of the shoulder drains in the city are blocked or the drains are not at forty-five degrees,” Misra said.
Expressing anger over the sorry state of affairs, he said, “We should create another autonomous agency like Bangalore Infrastructure Development Corporation (BIDC) and take major storm water drains, lakes and forest from BBMP’s control and give it to them.”
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