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‘Bengaluru pays top-tier taxes, drives on bottom-tier roads’: Assam Woman questions city’s infrastructure after rainfall
The woman told HT.com that, in addition to the waterlogged roads, cabs also charge exorbitant rates for a mere 500 meters after rainfall.
A resident of Bengaluru has spoken out against the city's deteriorating conditions, sharing a concerning video of a water-filled road after recent rainfall. In her conversation with HT.com, she pointed out that a single downpour turned the streets of HSR Layout into a hazardous obstacle course of standing water, garbage, and exposed electrical hazards. With autos unavailable and cabs demanding up to ₹240 for a 500-meter trip, commuters are trapped.
“Water-filled Bengaluru road”
Asmita Gupta shared a video showing a section of the road completely submerged, making it impossible for pedestrians to cross the stretch without getting wet.
“Bengaluru pays top-tier taxes but drives on bottom-tier roads. One spell of rain and its potholes, traffic jams, and chaos all over again. For a city that fuels the economy, is basic infrastructure too much to ask?” she wrote while posting the video on social media.
“High cab fare”
Beyond the poor road conditions, she also highlighted the exorbitant surge pricing for cabs during heavy rainfall.
Gupta told HT.com, “Apart from the road conditions which are anyways pathetic just after a single rainfall,” there is also the issue of “dynamic pricing of the cab booking apps”. She added, “They don't have an upper cap at all- charging 250 for a mere distance of 500-600m is totally unacceptable and inhumane.”
She added, “You can see the distance is just 500m but Rapido was charging around 240. And autos are impossible to book so I needed to book a cab only. They accept and then you wait for them and then they reject rides. For people who don't have 240 for a 500m walk, they have no option left other than to walk on these gutter water-filled roads.”
“More than just a water-filled road”
Her video about the road conditions prompted varied reactions, including some who asked why she didn’t cross the stretch on foot. Gupta explained, “People are asking why I did not go by walking if the cabs were charging this lot. But how would I walk if there is no road left to walk- it's filled with knee deep water and I am a permanent resident of Assam, and just a few days back people died because they somehow trusted the roads in rain and ended up falling into potholes. There could be issues of electrocution since there are transformers just beside these roads which could be dangerous and even if we eliminate electrocution and potholes, why would I walk in a gutter filler water and develop hygiene issues.”
“Garbage-filled roads after rain”
Gupta shared that the video she posted was captured at HSR Layout Sector 7, near Star Market, on a main road. “I just want this issue to be highlighted and genuinely want the government to work on these issues as the aftermath is also so disturbing. After the rain was finished, all the garbage ended up on the roads. I couldn't walk yesterday to the office because garbage was lying all over the road yesterday making it impossible to walk without spoiling your clothes and shoes,” she recalled.
She continued, “As a taxpayer of this nation and this state, I just want the government to work on this issue because if cities like Bengaluru are in this state, what do we expect of tier 2 and below cities?”
The North-South argument
Gupta shared that what is even more disheartening is that every time she raises questions about such issues, social media somehow turns it into a North-South issue - despite her hailing from Assam.
She told HT.com, “And every time such issues are raised, we are asked to GO BACK to our hometowns. Raising these issues are not putting the city into a bad picture, but just a genuine intent that hopefully the government listens and does something in this regard because even a small downpour ends up worsening road and traffic conditions here.”
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Gupta added, “We are constantly reminded that we have come here for work and are not a part of this city. If people want us to go back, why don't they ask the government to mandate wfh. The issue somehow always ends up being a NORTH vs SOUTH debate.”
However, like any other resident of Bengaluru, Gupta only wants its infrastructure to match its Tier-1 city status. She emphasised that raising these valid infrastructure concerns comes from a genuine desire to see them get resolved.
