Tejasvi Surya's ‘slow claps' for BBMP after its claim of pothole-free roads during TCS World 10K run

Indian Express

29-04-2025

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya Tuesday doubled down on his criticism of the civic infrastructure in the city, a day after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) claimed pothole-free roads during the TCS World 10K run.
In a post on X, Surya said, 'Ok, BBMP, now that you have said, we will believe that Bengaluru roads have no potholes. They are the best roads. And, you are simply the best. Slow claps.'
Surya had earlier expressed displeasure over the condition of Bengaluru roads after taking part in the TCS 10k run Sunday. The 10-km stretch started from RSI Club on M G Road and concluded at Manekshaw Parade Ground on Cubbon Road, via Dickenson Road, Raj Bhavan, and K R Circle.
In an open letter to Deputy Chief Minister and Benglauru Development Minister D K Shivakumar and former BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Giri Nath, Surya said Sunday, 'While it was a matter of great pride to see close to 40 thousand people, including some of the world's best athletes, senior citizens, participate in the event, it was equally disappointing to witness the state of our city's roads and public infrastructure – right in the heart of the CBD. The Central Business District (CBD) roads, which are supposed to be the best roads in the city, was in an absolutely pathetic state – like the roads in the rest of the city.'
'Many runners look forward to this event for years. They train, travel and participate with excitement. What we offered them was an obstacle race instead of a world-class experience,' he said in his post.
He complained that not a single stretch of the route was free of potholes and claimed that many runners stumbled and sprained their ankles during the run.
Responding to Surya's claims, the BBMP Monday issued a clarification saying that the organisers of the run had said there were no issues with the roads. It also noted that Abhishek Pal, who broke all previous records by completing the marathon in a time of 29 minutes and 12 seconds, attributed the success to the 'good condition' of the roads.
The BBMP's executive engineer, East Division, submitted a report to the civic agency, dismissing Surya's claims as 'unfounded'.
'I was aware in advance of the 10,000-meter marathon event organized by TCS on the aforementioned date. Accordingly, I personally inspected the entire race route starting from April 21, accompanied by Claudius Saldanha, the organizer of the World's Premier 10K Run. During this inspection, minor road joints, surface cracks, and potholes along the course were identified and scheduled for repair. For your reference, I am attaching geo-stamped photographs taken during the inspection.'
The engineer added, 'Additionally, white-topping works in progress on Maingard Road, Shivajinagar, were concealed using green shade nets. Adequate lighting and other necessary safety measures were also being implemented to ensure public safety and prevent inconvenience. In view of the above, I would like to respectfully clarify that the concerns raised regarding the condition of the roads and the safety of the race appear to be unfounded.'
Meanwhile, Shivakumar, who flagged off the event, has not issued any statement on the matter.
According to the BBMP's 2024 performance report, the Pothole Fix app, launched by the civic agency, received approximately 20,235 complaints of potholes. The BBMP claims to have fixed 11,309 potholes, while 1,449 remain unaddressed. It, however, reported that 6,249 complaints about potholes were found to be false.