Bengaluru’s pothole woes deepen despite Rs 12 crore spend, 63% rise in affected areas
Bengaluru: Despite spending over Rs 12 crore on road repairs in 2024-25, Bengaluru’s pothole problem has worsened, with a 63% rise in the area affected by potholes compared to last year, raising serious concerns over the quality and sustainability of civic works.
According to BBMP data presented by the government in the Karnataka Legislative Council, cited by Deccan Herald on Tuesday, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) filled up 1.78 lakh square metres of potholes in 2024–25, compared to 1.07 lakh square metres in 2023–24. This represents a 63% increase, despite a significant jump in expenditure from Rs 7 crore last year to Rs 12.25 crore this year.
However, many commuters argue that the increased spending has not translated into lasting results.
“We did see BBMP taking up pothole filling works. However, just a few weeks later, we noticed that the same roads have again developed potholes. If the road is back in the same shape within a few days, this is a waste of effort and taxpayer's money,” DH quoted Murthy B, a resident of Mahadevapura zone, as saying.
Other citizens pointed to roads like Hosa Road and Bannerghatta Road, where potholes reappeared just months after BBMP carried out patchwork repairs.
A senior BBMP engineer, speaking to DH on condition of anonymity, mentioned that BBMP was only filling potholes and not addressing the root cause. “The potholes don't appear on any road. They develop only when water stagnates on roads. This is because of poorly maintained shoulder drains due to which water enters and stagnates on roads,” the engineer said.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao acknowledged the limitations of pothole repair work during the monsoon season. “We can only take up temporary fixes owing to rain. Hence, they might reappear. However, long-term measures will be taken after the monsoon,” Rao assured.
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
