Bengaluru’s ‘worst roads’ to finally see repairs after years of neglect. Check details here

In recent weeks, Bengaluru authorities unveiled a 90-day crash action plan aimed at aggressively tackling potholes.

The Bengaluru East City Corporation has finally begun repair work on three major stretches that had remained in poor condition for several years, bringing relief to residents who had long complained about the state of these roads.

For years, residents had highlighted not only the broken stretches but also the lack of proper roadside drains. (Representational Image)

The stretches under repair include Panathur Road, Balagere Main Road, and Vibgyor School Road, Deccan Herald reported.

According to officials, Panathur Road and Vibgyor School Road have been asphalted, while Balagere Main Road is undergoing white-topping, the report further added.

For years, residents had highlighted not only the broken stretches but also the lack of proper roadside drains, which worsened the situation during rains.

Clement Jayakumar, a member of the Mahadevapura Taskforce collective, said additional grants were urgently required to asphalt several other damaged stretches in Mahadevapura.

However, the quality of the new roadworks has already raised concerns. On Panathur Road, gaps in the surface point to possible incorrect gradation of asphalt, prompting fears among commuters that the repairs may not last long.

In recent weeks, Bengaluru authorities unveiled a 90-day crash action plan aimed at aggressively tackling potholes, garbage accumulation, traffic snarls on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), and other infrastructure gaps.

Under the plan, October is earmarked to make all major roads motorable through resurfacing, asphalting, and white topping.

In November, citizen engagement through a “My Street, My Responsibility” campaign is to be launched, while December will focus on engaging corporate entities, especially along ORR corridors, to co-invest in repairs.

Officials also pledged stricter oversight: blacklisting contractors for substandard work and insisting on use of approved bitumen grades (eg VG-30) to ensure durability.

But the plan has sparked criticism from residents who say the ongoing patchwork of pothole repairs is superficial. A viral social media post showed workers applying cold-mix asphalt in a “throw-and-roll” manner, without edge cutting, debris removal, or tack coating, raising doubts about how long the fixes will last.