Bengaluru, 9 Dec

The stretch of Hosur Road from Adugodi to Shoolay Circle, a vital artery connecting several key areas in Central Bengaluru, has become a glaring example of civic apathy. Crumbling infrastructure, compounded by the construction of Metro’s Pink Line, has left commuters and residents grappling with severe inconveniences and safety risks.

For nearly three years, this stretch — linking Koramangala and major institutions such as Baldwin and Frank Anthony schools, has been in a deplorable state. Along with traffic bottlenecks, frequent waterlogging and dangerous potholes are common occurrences during rains.

Unresponsive BBMP

The construction of the Metro Pink Line, which began in 2021, has narrowed road space, exacerbating the chaos during peak hours. The road, which was earmarked for upgrades under the TenderSURE (Specifications for Urban Road Execution) project in 2015, now sees potholes every 100 metres along a 2km stretch. Complaints have been pouring in for months, but residents allege that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has remained unresponsive.

Chaos for commuters, traders

Pedestrians have been forced to walk on the road near Rashtriya Military School due to the removal of footpaths. Radha Sharma, a college student, highlighted the risks: “Walking on the road is dangerous, especially during rain.”

Motorists face equally dire conditions. “Last week while it was raining, I hit a water-filled pothole and nearly lost control of my bike," said Venkatesh R, a software engineer who drives daily from Adugodi to Brigade Road.

Shopkeepers in Johnson Market have also voiced their frustration. Ahmed Khan, who runs a bakery, said, “Customers avoid this area altogether because of the chaos.”

BBMP cities budgetary constraints

BBMP officials have cited budgetary constraints for the lack of road maintenance. “Maintaining TenderSURE roads in central Bengaluru costs around Rs 4 crore annually. We had planned to outsource responsibility to private firms through CSR funding, but delays have stalled the process,” said a senior BBMP official on condition of anonymity.

Shivaprakash KM, Executive Engineer, Road Infrastructure, BBMP, said the Metro project has restricted space for road repairs. “Temporary measures have been taken to fill some of the potholes, but we will focus on permanent solutions soon after the project,” he said.

A Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official defended the delays, saying, “Once the tunnelling and station work are completed, we will work with BBMP to restore the roads. The underground portion of the Pink Line is expected to be completed by December 2025 and the line will be operational by June 2026,” he said.

Better coordination can minimise issues: Experts

However, urban planning experts argue that such issues could have been minimised with better coordination. “Globally, cities manage to maintain infrastructure even during major construction projects,” said professor Anil Menon, an urban planner. “In Bengaluru, a lack of integrated planning and monitoring worsens the impact on residents. Regular inspections, scientific road repairs, and strict accountability measures are crucial to prevent such situations.”

Bengaluru traffic police, too, have raised concerns. “We are doing our best to manage the flow, but long-term solutions from civic authorities are needed,” said a traffic officer stationed near Johnson Market.

Despite all assurances, the question on everyone’s mind remains unanswered: when will things finally improve? —Salar News