Road to hell: Yeshwantpur stretch has 50 potholes resembling ponds

Even as the B'luru Traffic Police (BTP) diverted all heavy vehicles onto the road, the potholes have gradually blossomed into giant craters due to the monsoon downpours.

The condition of MEI Road has gone from bad to worse, but engineers show no urgency in fixing these problems. Credit: Special Arrangement

A one-kilometre arterial road in the industrial area of Yeshwantpur has a unique appearance — more than 50 potholes in the stretch are so big that they would look like a sea of mini ponds.

Known as MEI Road, the stretch is a crucial link between Tumakuru Road and Kanteerava Studio main road. Surprisingly, engineers from both the BBMP's Mahalakshmi Layout and Yeshwantpur divisions are refusing to take ownership of the road.

Over the last five years, the road was dug up twice — once for a water supply pipeline and again for an underground drainage connection. The civic body has shown no urgency in fixing the stretch, also known as 40th Main Road.

Even as the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) diverted all heavy vehicles onto the road, the potholes have gradually blossomed into giant craters due to the monsoon downpours.

Delay in restoration of this road has a serious inconvenience on the 40 industries located along the one-kilometre stretch and adjacent roads.

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Despite owners of industries located on stretch made a number of representations to the BBMP, the road continues to be neglected. Their attempt to raise the complaint through the Sahaaya portal has also yielded no response.

‘Brand Bengaluru’

One industrialist wondered what the point of seeking inputs for ‘Brand Bengaluru’ by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was when the civic body pays no heed to their complaints.

“The industries located along this stretch pay taxes, contribute to the economy. Our staff, suppliers and visitors are forced to suffer every day commuting to work,” stated a letter by a group of industries to the BBMP.

“Many accidents have taken place, injuring commuters trying to navigate this road. This pitiable condition of this road amounts to criminal negligence,” the letter added.

DH contacted engineers from the West and RR Nagar zones to inquire about the delay in asphalting the road. The West Zone denied ownership, while the RR Nagar Zone officials referred to a map of major roads, stating that the road falls under the Mahalakshmi Layout assembly constituency.