CM Siddaramaiah pulls up engineers; sets October-end deadline to fill all potholes

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, also chairman of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), pulled up engineers for pothole-filled roads in Bengaluru on Saturday and set an October-end deadline to fill them. Officials claimed to have identified 14,795 potholes, of which 8,046 are yet to be filled. 

This comes close on the heels of the city’s industry honchos raising the issue of bad roads, and one company on Outer Ring Road (ORR) saying they would relocate from there due to infrastructure issues, immediately harped on by the Opposition BJP. The State government has been in damage control mode since then.

“People are suffering because of pothole-filled roads and bad stretches. What are the engineers in each ward and the corporation doing, and why is work always started during the monsoons and never before?” Mr. Siddaramaiah questioned the engineers. The CM warned that in a month’s time, all roads need to be made motorable and all potholes filled by October-end, failing which, stringent action would be taken against concerned officials. He warned engineers not to collude with contractors and ensure quality work. 

He said while ₹18 crore has been earmarked to fill potholes on arterial and subarterial roads in 2025-26, each of the five corporations was granted ₹25 Crore to take up emergency works, using which potholes have to be filled immediately. He said more funds will be released if needed. 

Mr. Siddaramaiah pointed out the lack of coordination between the civic bodies, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), leading to bad stretches of roads. He pointed out that Ibbalur, Agara, Veeranna Palya, Nagavara, and Hebbal junctions have been ruined because of metro and BWSSB work, and they will be redeveloped as part of the ₹400 crore project to redo ORR.

Technical liaison officer

While the Chief Minister directed the GBA Commissioner to hold a coordination meeting between five corporations every week, he said a Technical Liaison Officer will be appointed to coordinate engineering aspects of works across corporations.