Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road service lanes: A commuter’s worst nightmare

Bengaluru: The service roads on both sides of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Kasturi Nagar and Hebbal are in a horrible condition.

Commuters have a difficult time navigating deep potholes, open drains, uncleared debris and overflowing manholes, besides managing the heavy traffic. Rain turns parts of the road into temporary rivulets, exacerbating the situation.

While the main carriageway of the 10-km ORR stretch is generally in good shape, the civic body has neglected the service roads.

A recent inspection by DH found the service roads hazardous, especially for two-wheeler riders, despite the stretch handling as much traffic as the main carriageway, where Namma Metro construction is underway. Some potholes are so large that even BMTC buses try avoiding them.

The condition of intersections at Veerannapalya, Nagawara and Kalyan Nagar, located below the split flyovers, is even worse.

Veteran Wing Commander AKS Bishnoi, a resident opposite Manyata Tech Park, slammed the BBMP for not addressing the service road issues despite multiple complaints. He highlighted the poor condition of the road from Nagawara to the Hebbal flyover, noting that repairs made six months ago were ineffective due to the substandard materials used.

In addition to potholes, the service roads lack walkable footpaths. Uncleaned drains have led to open slabs for rainwater release, and debris and garbage are often left unattended.

Some stretches, particularly from Kalyan Nagar to Babusapalaya, have no asphalt left, with the road to Hebbal from Nagawara being particularly neglected.

Gangamma, who runs a roadside eatery in HBR Layout, said the road was completely flooded on Tuesday. “Though the water has receded, the muck remains, creating a breeding ground for mosquitos and also driving away my customers,” she said.

While some BBMP workers have been seen cleaning drains and repairing footpaths, about 80 per cent of the service roads remain in desperate need of attention.

A regular commuter counted 1,000 potholes on both sides of the ORR service road.