Bengaluru, 19 April

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is facing backlash after several citizens alleged that its IT Cell blocked users on X (formerly Twitter) for posting complaints about potholes and illegal garbage dumping.

The issue came to light when a user, Neethu, tagged BBMP’s official handle with photos of damaged roads, requesting repairs. Instead of receiving a response, she discovered her account had been blocked. Similar incidents have since emerged, sparking widespread criticism from netizens.

“First they ignore complaints, now they block those who speak up. Is this how civic issues are handled?” one user asked. The move has been widely condemned as lacking transparency and accountability.

Ironically, this comes even as Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and BBMP Commissioner Tushar Girinath have urged the public to report civic problems through social media.

“If raising concerns gets you blocked, what’s the point of public engagement?” another user questioned. “BBMP should be fixing roads, not filters on its timeline.”

So far, BBMP has not released an official statement. However, mounting public pressure is forcing the civic body’s IT Cell to respond.