An artist used one to make an art installation featuring a crocodile, drawing national attention to the menace and universal derision for civic agencies

Every evening, a large number of people heading towards Koramangala, Viveknagar and Ejipura invariably use the quickest route — the Lower Agaram Road. But it takes a dose of courage and a fair amount of talent to navigate this pockmarked road.

The stretch, which is adjacent to the hugely popular Infant Jesus church, is so riddled with potholes that only regular commuters are able to navigate without suffering any damage to the self or vehicle.

There are several such roads in Bengaluru that motorists have come to know intimately. With consistent civic apathy towards repairing potholes, most people have learnt to note the location of potholes and avoid them.

The problem arises while taking an unfamiliar route. For example, commuters who often take a popular bylane from Church Street to M.G Road abutting the HMT building would be familiar with the crater that runs through the middle. The crater has been present for more than a year now, and is sometimes fixed only to be back the next day.

In a letter to The Hindu, Sagar Gowda, a resident of MEI Layout in Bagalagunte, pointed out to two huge potholes in Bagalagunte on Hessarghatta Main Road. “If not rectified, they may lead to accidents. Driving on the stretch has become dangerous,” says Sagar.

Each citizen can list potholes they are familiar with. This has given rise to symbolic gestures from citizens spurring civic officials into action.

Recently, residents of HSR Layout performed a #potholepooje on 11th Cross of Sector 1, praying not to harm any motorist, forcing embarrassed civic officials to fix the problem in record time.

Last year, artist Baadal Nanjundaswamy had used a pothole in Sultanpalya to make an art installation of a crocodile, drawing national attention on social media and spurring civic officials into action.

In its last survey of arterial and sub-arterial roads in September 2015, the BBMP had identified 2,495 potholes of which 1,003 were reported to have been filled. However, after that, the civic agency stopped counting, given the propensity of potholes to re-appear at will.

Expert Speak



“There is no dearth of know-how. Neither is it difficult to build good roads and maintain them,” says Ashish Verma, Associate Faculty, Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Possible solution



Experts says that a very simple solution is building roads in such a way that they slope towards the edges. This prevents stagnation of rain-water. Storm water drains on either side of the road must carry the water away to protect the edges.

It also helps to provide service ducts along the road, with vents at regular intervals. This way, roads don’t have to be dug up for various purposes. When roads are dug up, water seeps in and this could weaken the foundation.

Commuter Speak



The sharp edges of potholes cut the tyre. When it rains, you cannot see a pothole even if it is right in front of you. You end up splashing water on pedestrians and passing motorists, which can result in injury

— Shruthi Mysore Venkatesh, advocate, resident of Kengeri

I wish the civic agency would simply fill potholes temporarily if there is no permanent solution. Applying brakes suddenly on sighting a pothole can be very dangerous

— Sudershan C.R., banker, commutes from Whitefield to ITPL

Letters from readers



There are series of potholes in Murugeshpalya, N.R. Colony. While it is difficult to drive on the stretch, every time it rains, the situation worsens. The potholes get water logged resulting in traffic blockages.

— Swayam, resident of Murugeshpalya

The conditions on Panthur Main Road, near railway underpass, cannot be described in words. The other spot is opposite India Oil petrol bunk near Kadubeesanahalli Junction on ORR. The service road between Kadubeesanahalli and Marathahalli has multiple potholes

— Vikas Lamba, resident, Disha Windsor Garden, Balagere village

There is a lane called Vivekananda Street just opposite Park Plaza and Snapdeal office in Marathahalli, which connects all the other lanes in the area. One can't even walk down the lane let alone drive

— Naman Gupta, resident, Marathahalli

Silk Board flyover is famous not just for the traffic jams but also the numerous potholes

— Chethu Anchan

Social Media



These days I only see roads in between huge potholes and not the other way round. Such is the mess!

@SETHIASHISH6

Ejipura Junction after Domlur flyover, Koramangala and Jeevan Bima Nagar, 10th Main Road, have huge potholes

@MKR19

Recent pothole-related deaths



May 22, 2016: Santosh lost control of bike while negotiating a bad road near RR Nagar arch. His sister P. Savitha (16) came under the wheels of a bus

September 2015: Stuti Pandey Tripathi (25) lost her life after slipping from bike when her husband Om Prakash Tripathi was negotiating a pothole near Marathahalli

August 2015: Likith Gowda (9) and his mother Sunitha came under the wheels of a bus while trying to avoid a pothole near SRS Circle on Tumakuru Road

April 2015: Shama Anjum (13) and her sister Ayam (1) came under the wheels of a bus after their mother Ameena (25) lost control while trying to manoeuvre past a pothole on OTC road near Halasuru police station