Bosky Khanna By Express News Service BENGALURU: With rainfall, bad roads have become worse — new potholes have appeared and the existing one have become wider.BBMP officials seem to have forgotten the directions issued by the High Court and former Bengaluru Development Minister G Parameshwara to maintain the roads and ensure that they are pothole-free. This is evident as many commuters meet with accidents, mainly because of potholes and uneven roads. The issue of potholes has now caught the attention of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. He held a meeting with BBMP officials on Tuesday and pulled them up for the poor conditions of the roads. He directed the engineers to fix the potholes within 36-72 hours of receiving complaints, failing which the engineers and contractors concerned will be penalised. But the residents of the city are not convinced. They assert that the instructions will fall on deaf ears once again. Besides they have come at a time when it is raining, giving the BBMP another reason not to attend to the problem. “The BBMP does a shoddy job. It fills the potholes with construction debris or tar. No effort is made to ensure that the roads are safe. Due to this, potholes resurface with every downpour,” said Padma who commutes on Sarjapur Road. “I have started getting lower back pain because of the bad roads. With the rain, the situation has become worse now. I fell off my two-wheeler and suffered grievous injuries. Had it been western countries, the corporation would have been sued. Here the corporation and officials get away even as people die after falling because of potholes,” said Trisha D, a commuter on Magadi Road. Bad roads are a worry not just for two-wheelers, but even for those using high-end cars. “City roads are not equipped for high-end cars. I feel the jerks even while sitting in my SUV when it goes over potholes. The government collects huge taxes, but, where does all the money go?” questions Suhaas K, a commuter on Bannerghatta Road. Ravi Kumar Surpur, BBMP Special Commissioner, said there are a substantial number of potholes on major roads in the city. This is because of multiple reasons - heavy rainfall, strength of the road, number of vehicles plying, water stagnation and seepage, bad engineering and ongoing road works. “People can file their complaints online or through Sahaya App. It will be fixed within 72 hours,” he said. Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said there is no count of the number of potholes in the city. However, to ensure that city is pothole free there is Rs 140 crore in Escrow account. So engineers cannot say there is dearth of funds.

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