Bumpy Ride In Bengaluru This Monsoon: Rain Washes Away BBMP's Pothole Quick Fixes
Last Updated:
With the monsoon expected to hit Karnataka early this year, in the first week of June, the civic body is now scrambling to fill potholes and rush through pending road work.
The BBMP's recent pothole-filling drive has come undone – heavy rains over the last few days have washed away the quick-fix patches, leaving Bengaluru's roads back to their broken, battered state.
'Last week, we filled around 1,395 potholes. We'll now conduct an evaluation. A few more have cropped up — information keeps coming in and we will address each location as it's reported," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao told News18.
With the monsoon expected to hit Karnataka early this year, in the first week of June, the civic body is now scrambling to fill potholes and rush through pending road work before the rains arrive.
Rao added that all teams are on standby to ensure normal life isn't disrupted. 'Yes, more potholes may have surfaced. Our engineers will attend to them as and when we get location data. The goal is to reduce turnaround time for such issues, and also revamp the city into the global brand it is known to be," he said.
Bengaluru is bracing for a projected week of rain, and with it comes the city's familiar cocktail of flooded roads, snarled traffic, and the infamous pothole menace. The BBMP, however, insists it is geared up to avoid a repeat of previous years' chaos.
'Our assumption is that Bengaluru can handle up to 60-70 mm of rainfall without major waterlogging," Rao said. 'The drainage systems are in place. We've installed surveillance cameras across key locations to monitor water levels in real time. Our control rooms are on high alert. If canals begin to overflow or any area shows signs of distress, we'll move in immediately," Rao said.
But the real test is whether this preparedness will hold. In September last year, after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar ordered a large-scale pothole repair drive, the BBMP claimed to have filled thousands of potholes across the city. Yet, those short-term fixes have now collapsed, and the city's motorists are once again paying the price for substandard work.
Adding to the pressure, last month BJP MP Tejasvi Surya lashed out at the BBMP after participating in the TCS World 10K run in Bengaluru. In an open letter to Minister Shivakumar and then BBMP Commissioner Tushar Girinath, Surya called the city's infrastructure 'pathetic" and said the pride of the international event was quickly overshadowed by broken paths and dangerous potholes.
'Not a single stretch was pothole-free. Runners, including senior citizens and wheelchair participants, stumbled and were injured," Surya wrote. He termed it a 'missed opportunity" to showcase Brand Bengaluru on the world stage and questioned the civic body's preparedness despite hosting a world level athletic event.
Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- New Indian Express
Use cold mix to quick fix potholes: BBMP Chief
BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Administrator Tushar Girinath has instructed civic agencies to promptly fill potholes in the city with cold mix and eco-fix materials. At a meeting with officials on Tuesday, Girinath emphasised the need for swift action in tackling the menace of potholes, especially during the rainy season. 'In the eight BBMP zones, local contractors must be engaged to procure asphalt and complete the pothole-filling work promptly. Daily reports on the progress of pothole-filling work must be submitted,' he said. Informing that road asphalting projects worth Rs 690 crore are currently under way within BBMP limits, Girinath instructed officials to ensure that the work is completed without any delay. On flooding that proved to be the Achilles' heel of the Palike, he said during the monsoon, waterlogging is expected at 82 key locations. 'Steps must be taken to prevent water accumulation on roads, and ensure smooth flow of rainwater into side drains,' he said.
News18
4 days ago
- News18
Why Was This One Of The Coolest Mays On Record Since 1901?
Last Updated: Unusual weather kept Delhi's daytime temperatures well below normal, with May's average maximum at 35.08°C — the seventh lowest recorded since 1901 In an unusual turn of events, the month of May 2025 in Delhi and across India was marked by unexpected weather patterns, featuring rain, clouds and cold winds instead of the typical scorching sun and heat waves. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the country experienced the highest average rainfall for May since records began in 1901, with 126.7 mm of rainfall recorded. This unprecedented weather also kept daytime temperatures in Delhi significantly below normal, with the average maximum temperature at 35.08 degrees Celsius, the seventh lowest since 1901. Night temperatures also remained low, making it the 59th coldest May on record. The unusual weather patterns resulted in substantial rainfall across almost all states, with numerous instances of heavy and very heavy rainfall. The IMD reported 1053 incidents of heavy rain (64.5–115.5 mm), 262 incidents of very heavy rain (115.6–204.5 mm), and 39 incidents of exceptionally heavy rain (more than 204.5 mm), marking the highest figures in the last five years, with the exception of 2021. Why Did This Happen? IMD scientist OP Srijit attributed this anomaly to three primary factors: the early arrival of the monsoon, the formation of two depressions in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and the continuous impact of Western Disturbances. When Was The Coldest May Of The Century? According to the IMD, the coldest May of the century was in 1917, with an average temperature of 33.09°C. Since then, May temperatures have remained below 35°C in years such as 1933, 1977, 2021, 1920, and 1971. May 2025 has now also been added to this list. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published:
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
A sinking feeling for ‘Brand Bengaluru'
For long-time residents of Bengaluru, it is beginning to feel like there is too much happening all at once. There are talks of extending Namma Metro to neighbouring cities. Work has started for a suburban rail network. The State government is busy pushing for a contentious network of tunnel roads to connect traffic-choked ends. And the civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), is being split into multiple corporations with the hope that they will manage the city better. Ironically, while these projects are being planned keeping the city's future in mind, there is little thought being given to existing problems, which arose out of Bengaluru's 'growth'. All it takes is for the sky to open up a few times for all that lies beneath the shine of 'Brand Bengaluru' to be exposed. For the motorists caught on dangerously waterlogged roads, the residents of layouts that are inundated after a few spells of rain, and the families of those who lost their lives in a a flooded underpass or a tree fall, the statements of ministers promising removal of encroachments only provide a sense of déjà vu. Spotlight | Bengaluru under water yet again The Chief Minister's Office said in a recent statement that the pre-monsoon rains in 2025 were the highest recorded during the season and in the month of May in the last 125 years. The rainfall recorded in the pre-monsoon period (March 1 to May 31) was 286 mm against the normal 115 mm. The actual rainfall was 219 mm against the normal 74 mm for May. The India Meteorological Department, Bengaluru, said the city received a record 307.9 mm of rainfall between May 1 and May 26 (till 11.30 a.m.). Bengaluru received a staggering 105.5 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period between 8.30 a.m. on May 18 and 8.30 a.m. on May 19 — the second highest since 2011. This caught the authorities, who were still preparing for the monsoon, off guard. High-impact weather events have been occurring more frequently and with greater intensity globally. Many parts of Bengaluru were under water during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022. In 2023, Karnataka was hit by drought, which led to a water crisis in many parts of the State in 2024. Why, then, have the civic authorities not learned any lessons? Bengaluru was once famed for its network of lakes. These served as flood management tools by harvesting rainwater and storing excess water. As the city grew, the government focused on providing piped water supply from the Cauvery river. It ignored lakes to the point where hundreds of them disappeared, making way for real estate, stadiums, and bus stands. Rivers that originate or flow through the city, such as the Vrushabhavathy, continue to be in a state of neglect. During the 2024 summer water crisis, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board came up with a knee-jerk response. It filled up a few lakes with treated water to push up groundwater levels. This year, 63 of the 183 lakes under the BBMP have already reached full capacity before the monsoon season, raising questions about how important flood-mitigation barriers have been compromised. Citizen activists and experts have also repeatedly pointed to the reduced carrying capacity of drains due to the build-up of silt and flow of sewage. This has caused rainwater to overflow into the streets, leading to severe water-logging. The Karnataka Lokayukta, which took up a suo motu case about flooding in Bengaluru after the recent episode, said that the main reasons for flooding were negligence of officials and lack of coordination between various agencies. Justice B.S. Patil also directed officials to speed up de-silting work of drains, ensure a gradient to facilitate flow of water in them, and remove all encroachments on drains. Also Read | Bengaluru rains: Its a long struggle for people in flooded layouts Bengaluru is in the throes of an administrative transformation as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will replace the BBMP, which came into being in 2007, as the city's primary governing body. The GBA aims to bring all the major agencies working in Bengaluru under one structure, which will be headed by the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Some civic activists fear this will result in centralisation of administration and power. Will this lead to a more cohesive and comprehensive approach to managing the city, especially in the light of extreme weather events? Or will the residents continue to suffer the same problems as the focus remains on extravagant projects? It is too early to tell.
