While the Karnataka High Court has taken the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to task for the potholes making the city’s roads hazardous, Sarjapur Road – a little outside the city limits – maintained by the Public Works Department, is turning out to be a death trap. According to Voice of Sarjapur, a group of activists, lack of basic civic amenities like streetlight, signs, pavement, night reflectors and non-implementation of traffic rules are causing fatal injuries. They say in the past three months as many as six people have died due to road-related accidents in the area.
Swapna Kumar, from Voice of Sarjapura, said, “Even two days back, a biker lost his leg after he lost control and fell in front of a truck. There are a lot of potholes on the newly laid out stretch between Muthanalur and Attibele, and it is very difficult for bikers as the road is dug up here and there.”
She added, “We have also submitted a letter to the PWD office in Anekal and officials responded positively only to paint road signs and do spot fixes on potholes. But with a little bit of rain, the potholes are back again.”
Subhodeep Ghosh, who was hit by an autorickshaw coming from the opposite direction on September 3 and was admitted in hospital, said, “There is no footpath, drainage system or streetlights on the road, even though we are paying all the necessary taxes. So many people are getting hurt; the area should be identified as an accident-prone zone. This is not an individual problem, but everybody is getting affected. I do not know when will authorities take notice of these issues as there are schools in the vicinity too.”
PWD Assistant Executive Engineer Yethiraj downplayed the condition of the roads – he claimed it wasn’t the condition of the roads but poor driving that led to the accidents.
“We have repaired all the major potholes on Sunday. Accidents are happening more as people are drinking and driving, and speeding. By December, we can provide all the road signs and barricades. Lights have to be provided by the local panchayat,” he told TNM.