Bengaluru's substandard infrastructure is once again making headlines after a school bus carrying around 20 children narrowly avoided toppling on the severely damaged Panathur-Balagere road on Friday, according to a social media post. The vehicle got stuck in a large crater filled with slush, forcing a dramatic rescue through the back door. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
A video and several images of the incident, which surfaced on social media, have sparked outrage among residents, who pointed out the irony that this very stretch was inspected by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar just a few months ago.
“A school bus carrying around 20 kids almost toppled on the crater-filled, slushy Panathur–Balagere road. Children had to be rescued through the back door. Ironically, CM & DyCM had visited and inspected this very stretch just a few months ago,” a social media post by a resident stated.
It garnered over 3,000 views and several replies, with some blaming the driver for negligence, while others blamed authorities for not carrying out civic repair works in time.
{{/usCountry}}It garnered over 3,000 views and several replies, with some blaming the driver for negligence, while others blamed authorities for not carrying out civic repair works in time.
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“Please consider making #Bengaluru a union territory for 10 years and develop the city,” another reply stated.
A road in ruins
The Panathur–Balagere road, located in East Bengaluru, has long been a nightmare for commuters. Known for its craters, uneven surface and waterlogging, it has become nearly impassable during rains. With rapid growth in the surrounding areas like Varthur, Bellandur and Sarjapur, traffic volumes have soared, however road upgrades haven’t taken place.
Friday’s incident once again highlighted the dangers of neglected infrastructure, especially for school-going children.
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Bengaluru's broader infrastructure crisis
The city has been grappling with a growing number of such incidents, as rapid urbanisation continues to outpace planning. Several parts of Bengaluru face regular flooding, dug-up roads, unfinished civic works and traffic gridlocks, especially during monsoon season.
Residents blamed poor coordination between civic agencies, lack of accountability and delay in infrastructure projects. Despite massive budgets and promises of "Brand Bengaluru" revamps, basic road safety remains out of reach for many residents.