It was perhaps too much to expect – that an anaconda rearing its head from a pothole on a busy street in Bengaluru would spur officials into action. People continue to die on the city’s roads.
Bengaluru’s roads have always claimed their share of fatalities, but in recent times, exasperation with civic authorities has been at an all-time high with the large crater-like holes even inspiring art. Although they admitted to being embarrassed, it does not appear to have spurred anyone to Bollywood-style action for civic improvement even though local elections have come and gone.
In the last two months, three people have died in two separate accidents, but the real irony is that the roads are actually somewhat safer than in the past. According to a report in Our Bangalore, fatalities on Bengaluru’s roads have decreased from 957 in 2007 to 703 in 2014 – a drop of 11 percent.
Despite this, the city’s roads have claimed two lives a day on average since 2011. Stuti Pandey, Likhith Gowda and his mother Sunitha are the most recent people to turn into statistics for road accident fatalities in Bengaluru.
September 19: Software professionals Stuthi Pandey and her husband Omprakash were returning to their home in Banashankari after celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at a friend's house in Munnekolala on Thursday night.
The couple, who hail from Madhya Pradesh, were riding on the upper ramp of the Devarabeesanahalli flyover near Marathahalli when Omprakash suddenly found that he could not avoid a huge pothole, reprted Deccan Herald.
Stuthi
Stuthi, who was riding pillion, fell on the road. Although she was rushed to the hospital, she died on the way due to brain haemorrhage. Omprakash suffered bruises and a fractured arm.
August 23: Likhith Gowda, a nine-year-old, was riding pillion on his mother Sunitha's scooter on a Sunday morning. The duo, residents of Gayatrinagar, were on their way to a relative's place to attend a religious ceremony.
When they reached the SRS Junction near Peenya Industrial area, Sunitha saw a pothole and swerved to the right to avoid it. Both of them fell down and Likhith came in the way of a running bus. While he reportedly died on spot, Sunitha received grievous head and internal injuries.
August 28: Sunitha succumbed to her injuries at the Columbia Asia Hospital at Yeshwantpur.