BENGALURU: With more than 100 complaints filed over the past decade not helping rid 80 Ft Road in Raghuvanahalli, south Bengaluru, of a pothole, residents are now planning a 10-year anniversary to highlight the issue.
Residents of ward number 184, Uttarahalli, say they are fed up with BDA and BBMP officials' apathy. They allege that the pothole, close to the pipeline road junction, has caused many accidents in 10 years and continues to pose a threat, especially to children studying in National Public School, Uttarahalli, who use the stretch every day.
Vajapeyam Srivatsa, a resident, rues that between him and others, they have filed over 100 complaints with the authorities. "Initially, they were junked, but when we upped the ante on social media, ad-hoc patchwork using boulder stones was done, which only meant the pothole returned soon. No official is interested in resolving the issue," he said. Aside from this pothole, which is near the junction that connects to four other roads, the road has several others.
Goutam, another resident, said lack of coordination between BDA and BBMP has resulted in poor maintenance of this stretch. "BDA officials do not care about our complaints, while BBMP officials say they are helpless as the road is maintained by BDA. How can government agencies leave a pothole for 10 years, risking lives of commuters?" he said. Pointing out how citizens' efforts to fill the pothole temporarily haven't worked, he added that the issue was raised at a ward committee meeting, where BBMP was asked why it was collecting taxes if it could not repair a road.
Another resident, Krishna Kumar, urged for a permanent solution and blamed elected representatives from Bengaluru South for inaction. "We are planning to hold 10-year anniversary to highlight the issue at a time BBMP is bragging about its pothole-filling drive," he said.
BBMP special commissioner (south zone) Thulasi Maddineni said she would collect details about the road and pothole and address the issue immediately.
