The hole' story: How BBMP left city, its roads to rot
Waterlogging is a problem even on flyovers, leaving craters where the asphalt has been chipped off.
A few days of incessant rain and the average Bengalurean struggles to find a stretch of road amidst the potholes. Waterlogging is a problem even on flyovers, leaving craters where the asphalt has been chipped off. The BBMP blames blocked shoulder drains and claims that it will undertake a mass pothole filling drive once the rains stop, although citizens, going by past experiences, have lost faith in the Palike. Experts have provided authorities with a number of scientific solutions which are always cast aside in favour of shoddy patch work that fills the pockets of politicians and officials, leaving Bengaluru at the mercy of the monsoon every year, reports Aknisree Karthik
With neither the Metro Rail nor its bus services helping ease traffic on city roads, the harried government opts now and again for a flyover to redirect it in some areas. Only problem is these “solutions” rarely work as they too see traffic hold-ups with cars and buses crawling bumper to bumper across them.
And if you expected the ride to be any smoother on the flyovers, you better think again as they too are filled with potholes, just like the roads, which have their asphalt washed away in rain. Be it the Sirsi Circle flyover, the first to be built in the city, the Banaswadi flyover, Madiwala flyover, Hebbal flyover, or the flyover near BEL, they are all pothole- ridden and the recent rain has only worsened their condition.
While the BBMP blames blocked shoulder drains for waterlogging of the roads and the damage caused to them, it’s hard to understand what’s causing the asphalt to disappear on the flyovers, say commuters.
Drive on the Sirsi Circle flyover, and you see to your shock that it has very little of its smooth surface left with the recent rain seeming to have washed away nearly all its asphalt. Complains Mr Balachandar A, a software graduate, "It is common to see potholes on city roads, which are damaged by flooding caused by the rain. But when a flyover is filled with potholes, it becomes clear that the quality of asphalting is very poor. That the Sirsi Circle flyover is in such bad shape only shows how poor our civic administration is.”
Describing the condition of the flyover, he says its outer layer of bitumen is damaged, tar particles and gravel are scattered over it and every time it rains, heavily puddles form all over it. “How can the water not drain off a flyover, which is so high above the ground?” he asks pertinently.
Mr Ashish Srivastava, a HR professional, who is forced to drive on the Madiwala flyover to his office is in Electronic City , says the journey is a nightmare owing to the potholes on it. “Hundreds of people like me use this flyover, but it continues to be in poor condition. People, who are in a hurry to reach their offices, speed on the flyover and end up damaging their vehicles and injuring themselves owing to the potholes,” he regrets.
Recalling the government’s eagerness to build a steel flyover from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal, Mr Varun, a resident of Malleswaram, wonders why it is so keen on building more of them when it cannot be bothered about the upkeep of the existing ones.
“It is not responsible enough to keep the city roads and flyovers in good condition, but only wants to build new flyovers,” he observes disparagingly.
Q&A: BBMP Mayor G Padmavathi
Q: The condition of city roads has become very ugly of late.
A: Yes I am aware of it. The incessant rain of the past few days has washed away the asphalt from most roads in the city. Tar and rain are a disastrous combination. With Bengaluru receiving heavy rainfall over the past few days, many roads have become waterlogged and been damaged.
Q: A recent BBMP report claims there are only 5,000 potholes in the city ? How is this possible?
A: The survey may have been restricted to a few roads. We haven't done any survey to estimate the number of potholes in the city as a whole. Their numbers may have multiplied after the recent heavy rain.
Q: So what is the BBMP's plan now ? When can commuters expect to say goodbye to bumpy rides in the city ?
A: I am in constant discussion with BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad and other top brass on what should be done now. As the weathermen have predicted that rains will continue till September 14, we cannot begin to fill up the potholes at once. We are waiting for the heavy rain to stop and once it does, we will take up a mass pothole -filling drive.
‘Scientific solutions abound but BBMP insists on shoddy work’
Bengaluru is in for more wet weather going by the weathermen, who have forecast rain over the next few days. While this mean cooler weather, it also means bumpier rides, as the roads in the city will only develop more potholes going by experience.
Unable to take the mess anymore, Mr D S Rajashekar, president of the Citizens' Action Forum , says, "This is annual joke. When we ask the BBMP why city roads are filled with potholes, its reply remains the same every year. It blames it on rain, which it always claims is heavier than the last year. We are fed up with hearing the same excuse every year. The rains are not the only reason for the potholes. It is the BBMP’s duty to keep the city ready for all kinds of weather and heavy rain too.”
Deploring that even after committees and experts have suggested ways to fill up potholes scientifically, the BBMP goes about the job as shoddily as ever, he observes angrily, “They just do a random job, which lasts only until the next spell of rain.”
The activist feels the problem lies in lack of accountability. “ Who inspects the potholes ? Have you ever seen a BBMP engineer inspecting the quality of pothole- filling ? Neither the people nor engineers inspect potholes after they are filled. So how can we expect contractors to work honestly ? Adding to this, the BBMP does not pay the contractors , leaving their work bills piled up. The city’s mess is the result of the BBMP’s utter failure in maintaining it,” he concludes bitterly.