Bangalore asks: When VIPs appear, why do potholes disappear?

The News Minute | September 23, 2014 | 5.58 pm ISTVVIP visits are a logistical nightmare, generally, even more so for an overworked police to provide security and maintain law and order.For an unexpected and utterly random set of people though, such a visit brings unexpected benefits: good roads, for instance. Overnight, almost.Like the wave of a magician’s wand.Bangalore Mirror reported that several roads in the city, ones that will likely be used by the prime minister during his Karnataka visit, were spruced up in the last few days. The major one being the road from HAL airport to Raj Bhavan, where the PM will be staying on Tuesday.Mirror reported that the diligence displayed by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike was the result of a reminder from the Bangalore in-charge minister R Ramalinga Reddy.Reddy said that it would be a major embarrassment for the state if the road travelled by the PM were to have potholes. However, he denied that the roads had been repaired for the sake of the visiting PM. He told Mirror that the repairs were part of a larger traffic management proposal to make certain stretches signal-free. The actions of the BBMP have come in for some criticism from the city’s residents, at having been passed up for officials on a flying visit to the city.One Facebook user uploaded a picture of road getting laid near Bangalore old airport and asked, "Tarring Bangalore's roads just because Modi is visiting on 23rd. Note how only one lane of the road is tarred. Pathetic to say the least ‪#‎vipculture‬Another user commented: "We need to understand that roads, pavements, clean water, sanitation etc. are part of good governance. This tarring of roads right before we have VIP's visit the state demonstrates the band-aid approach to fixing deep rooted problems with our infrastructure".Yet another user points out," Politicians are not doing a favor to us !! Hell NO !! We pay and we have all the rights to enjoy it , they are just representatives who misuse and manipulate!!! And .... our religion of Bureaucracy continues."