In a strong move to tackle Bengaluru’s notoriously bad roads, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also chairs the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), recently held engineers accountable for the city’s numerous potholes. He issued a clear directive: all identified potholes must be filled by the end of October. Officials have reported a staggering 14,795 potholes across the city, with 8,046 still awaiting repair.
This stern ultimatum follows mounting pressure from various sectors, including prominent industry leaders who have voiced serious concerns about the deteriorating infrastructure. A notable incident involved a company on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) threatening to relocate due to the abysmal road conditions, a statement quickly amplified by the Opposition BJP. The state government has since been actively working on damage control.
During the meeting, CM Siddaramaiah directly challenged the engineers, asking, “People are suffering because of pothole-filled roads and bad stretches. What are the engineers in each ward and the corporation doing, and why is work always started during the monsoons and never before?” He emphasized that all roads must be made motorable within a month, and all potholes repaired by the October-end deadline. Failure to comply, he warned, would result in severe consequences for the responsible officials. He also cautioned engineers against colluding with contractors, stressing the importance of quality workmanship.
The Chief Minister highlighted that ₹18 crore has been allocated for filling potholes on arterial and sub-arterial roads for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Additionally, each of the five corporations received ₹25 crore for urgent repair work, which must be utilized immediately for pothole remediation. He assured that more funds would be made available if necessary.
Siddaramaiah further criticized the glaring lack of coordination among civic bodies such as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which he identified as a primary cause for the poor road conditions. He specifically cited Ibbalur, Agara, Veeranna Palya, Nagavara, and Hebbal junctions as areas severely impacted by ongoing metro and BWSSB projects. These junctions are slated for redevelopment as part of a larger ₹400 crore project aimed at revitalizing the Outer Ring Road.
Enhanced Coordination and Oversight
To address the systemic coordination issues, the Chief Minister instructed the GBA Commissioner to facilitate weekly coordination meetings among the five corporations. Furthermore, a dedicated Technical Liaison Officer will be appointed to oversee and harmonize the engineering aspects of all ongoing projects across these various agencies, ensuring a more unified approach to urban development and infrastructure maintenance.