Hasty pothole filling work by BBMP exposed after rains in Bengaluru

A visit to several locations by The Hindu, including Bannerghatta Road, Shanthinagar, Jayanagar, and J.P. Nagar, revealed that much of the material used to fill potholes and craters has been washed away. The layers of mud and stones meant to cover the holes have simply flowed away with the rains, resulting in a hazardous driving experience, particularly for two-wheeler riders.

The recent pothole-filling exercise by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been laid bare, as heavy rains over the last four days have washed away the temporary fixes, leaving Bengaluru’s roads back in their broken state.

In September, after Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar directed the BBMP to carry out a large-scale effort to repair potholes, the civic body sprang into action and claimed to have filled thousands of potholes across the city. However, the short-term measures have crumbled, exposing the roads once again and leaving motorists to face the brunt of poor-quality repairs.

A visit to several locations by The Hindu, including Bannerghatta Road, Shanthinagar, Jayanagar, and J.P. Nagar, revealed that much of the material used to fill potholes and craters has been washed away. The layers of mud and stones meant to cover the holes have simply flowed away with the rains, resulting in a hazardous driving experience, particularly for two-wheeler riders.

Shashi Kumar, who regularly drives through J.P. Nagar to Yeshwantpur via the Outer Ring Road, said, “Roads were bad enough before, but after the rains, it feels like we’re driving through a minefield. All the material they used to patch up the potholes has disappeared. It’s dangerous, especially for those of us on bikes.”

Residents in the affected areas echoed these concerns.

Rekha N., a resident of Hulimavu, said, “We were relieved when we saw the BBMP fix the roads, but it didn’t last even a week. Now, it’s worse than before. The white-topped roads have held up, but for the rest of us, it’s back to square one. I don’t understand why they can’t do a proper job.”

The BBMP, under pressure by the deadline set by Mr. Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to fill potholes in September, had worked round-the-clock across the city. The civic body claimed to have filled thousands of potholes using the cold-mix method, a quick-fix solution meant to temporarily repair the roads.