Bengaluru’s Pothole Problem: Crores Spent On High-Tech Fixes, But No Respite In Sight?

Last Updated:August 30, 2025, 07:00 IST

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is personally inspecting pothole-filling exercises across Bengaluru, vowing to continue until every pothole is filled

The BBMP said due to the monsoon, it is difficult to undertake permanent road-laying work. (Image for representation: PTI)

It’s a pothole-sized problem once again in Bengaluru. This time, deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is personally inspecting pothole-filling exercises across the city, vowing to continue until every pothole is filled.

Crores have been spent on the exercise, but is Shivakumar’s vision of achieving a “pothole-free city” any closer? The state government has claimed that 2,200 potholes have been filled in only four days with the help of ‘Raste Gundi Gamana’, an app developed to register pothole-related complaints, and that another 4,400 are to be urgently fixed.

Users, however, have alleged that the app is either rejecting their complaints or is non-functional. The app often fails to load and is only available for Android users, leaving iOS users unable to access it.

Shivakumar has carried out a midnight inspection of city roads to pressure the civic body to speed up work on filling the potholes. He said out of 5,000 identified potholes, 2,400 have been filled.

He was seen standing by the machines that were filling the potholes. During his visit earlier this week, he inspected Bagalur Road, Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road, and Ejipura Road.

The deputy chief minister, who is also the Bengaluru development minister, said the pothole app – launched on July 29 – had been effective in identifying road damage and he had personally inspected the ongoing repair work.

“I visited Bagalur recently. I was saddened to see the condition of Bagalur Main Road. I directed officials to take steps to fill the potholes there at the earliest. Hot mix, cold mix and eco-fix methods are being used,” Shivakumar told the media.

According to the deputy CM’s office, repair work is being carried out using a combination of hot mix, cold mix, and eco-fix methods to ensure durability and quality.

“This is why it is important to white-top roads, as they will last a good 50 years and will be pothole-free,” said a senior BBMP engineer working on Bengaluru’s road issues.

Answering a question in the legislative council, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) admitted a nearly 63 percent increase in potholes as compared to the same time last year. The civic body said it had filled more than 1.07 lakh sq m of potholes in 2023-24 at a cost of Rs 7 crore, whereas this year repairs have already cost Rs 12.25 crore.

A senior engineer accompanying Shivakumar said he had directed officials to complete filling potholes in time for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to prevent disruptions and traffic snarls due to damaged roads. Earlier, the traffic police had identified 3,000 potholes across the city, of which the BBMP claimed to have fixed 1,300.

RS 1,800 CRORE FOR LONG-TERM FIX

The BBMP is also monitoring repair work carried out by other agencies. Bengaluru’s rain-battered roads are set for a long-term fix, with the state government announcing  Rs 1,800 crore of white-topping works across the city.

“This initiative will ensure roads are protected from damage for the next 25 years. The BBMP has been asked to identify such roads and take up the work,” Shivakumar said during the assembly session last week.

As part of a larger drive, the civic body has announced the deployment of 15 vehicles equipped with AI-enabled cameras to detect potholes. These cameras will map road damages and capture broken streetlights, footpaths, and other civic issues on the streets.

‘POTHOLE -FREE CITY’ FOR 25 YEARS

Shivakumar has said white-topping will be undertaken on 157 km of roads, promising a “pothole-free city” and ensuring damage-free roads for 25 years. Residents, however, remain sceptical.

“When will Bengaluru actually become that city?” many of them asked.

“What we need is not patchwork, but proper laying of roads so that potholes don’t recur in the same place. That is effective governance. If you keep putting some tar and closing potholes, one rain and it gets washed away. No wonder they are spending so much money each year on filling them. It’s like putting a bandage that peels off every time,” said Shilpa Krishnappa, a resident of Vignan Nagar in the CV Raman Nagar constituency.

Residents of Panathur, Sarjapur and surrounding areas also echoed their frustration. “What about us? Roads here have been in a miserable condition for years. We have used the app, but why haven’t we seen work on the ground?” asked Ruchika Ganeshan, a resident of Panathur.

The BBMP has said it is identifying and filling potholes reported through the app, apart from those spotted by its own teams. Officials said due to the monsoon, it is difficult to undertake permanent road-laying work.

About the Author

Rohini Swamy

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More

Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More

Read More

Go to Source