The recent spate of rains over the past few weeks has brought out the worst in Bengaluru's roads and footpaths. With no immediate solution in sight and officials saying that fixing roads will be impossible till the rains stop, there’s little relief for motorists and pedestrians.
Since mid-August, the already bad condition of most roads has worsened with several sporting large potholes. Pavements with missing slabs have become death traps for pedestrians. The tragic case of 18-year-old Jayaprakash Arun drowning in a drain after losing his footing because the slab had been left open has highlighted the negligence of civic officials.
Mayor G. Padmavathi is now gunning for strict action against engineers who ignore their jobs.
“Local level engineers at the Assistant Engineer level and below must undertake surveys and make notes of which footpaths are broken. However, they rarely venture out of their offices,” said Ms. Padmavathi.
According to BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad, the engineer in question had left the drain open to allow water to flow in. “He has been suspended,” he said.
Ms. Padmavathi said that a mechanism must be put in place to ensure that officials are made responsible for lapses. “It is sad to see the loss of a young life and no one being held responsible for it,” she said.
With potholes cropping up at several places on Old Airport Road, Ballari Road, Indiranagar 100 feet road, Koramangala, Jayanagar, Whitefield and many other major roads, the accumulation of water forces motorists to swerve suddenly to avoid spots with stagnant water.
“It is impossible to judge the quality of a road when it is covered with water. As a result, motorists are forced to avoid water-logged stretches entirely, as they could easily lose their balance and fall,” said Nachiket Rao, a resident of Frazer Town.