Downpour renders potholes death traps in Bangalore

Heavy rains have transformed the city into a hazardous arena; roads are in a complete mess, concealing several potholes and making it a nightmare for both motorists and pedestrians.

“To evade potholes, motorists swerve away and move into another lane, thus causing or meeting with accidents,” said MN Sreehari, adviser to the state government on traffic, transportation, and infrastructure. During rainy season, the potholes get filled with water making it difficult to assess their depth.

“Two-wheeler riders, in an attempt to evade a pothole, may end up falling into roadside ditches which will again be filled with water. It’s not easy even for four-wheelers. In their eagerness to avoid driving over a pothole, many end up meeting with accidents. Else, the bumpy ride over potholes ends up hurting their backs or causing slip discs,” he added.

Civic analyst V Ravichander pointed out that the biggest enemy of the road is water, and when there is no proper drainage system, it allows for water stagnation, which, in turn, gives rise to numerous potholes.

“In an attempt to not lose balance, vehicles slow down on encountering a pothole, which gives rise to a line of problems. The surface of the roads is uneven, and this leads to accidents,” he said, adding that the fuel efficiency and engine suspension of a vehicle take a beating.

Roads are badly lit at night. Drains are blocked, and roads are not laid properly. In fact, the area that faces the biggest pothole menace is the CBD of Bangalore. Lavelle Road in Richmond Town, Convent Road and Hayes Road are among the worst-affected areas, particularly during the rains.

“Usually what is done is some cosmetic change, probably fill potholes with mud or jelly, which gets washed away during the next rain,” said CN Radhakrishna, a medical professional who practises in the CBD area and member of the Koramangala Residents’ Welfare Association. “Corporators of the area along with the BBMP must be proactive towards these issues,” he said.

Take, for instance, Richards Town, where there are huge craters on the road. Besides causing huge traffic jams, the roads here pose a threat to motorists. “When it rains heavily, the roads are in a bad shape,” explained Zaffar Sait, member of Richards Town Residents’ Association.

“We got the joint commissioner of BBMP to come and have a look but are still waiting for some action to be taken,” he said.
BBMP waits for sun to come out BBMP, in its earlier campaigns, had assured Rs100 for anyone who spotted a pothole. “All this is a big drama. Are the potholes not visible to them? Every road has hundreds of them,” Zaffer Sait, member of Richards Town Residents’ Association, said.

“BBMP may have drawn up a `9,000-budget this year. Instead of blowing up the money or showing off, it should be utilised for the right purpose,” said Sreehari.

“We are working at getting the potholes filled. Since it has been raining continuously, the work has come to a halt. We are waiting for the sun to come out,” said a BBMP senior engineer.