BANGALORE: The recurring problem of potholes has dogged the city in many ways, throughout the year and becomes unmanageable during the monsoon season.For many years, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been ensuring that at least four to five major roads are well maintained for travel by dignitaries.However, the state of the other roads remains 'horrendous' at best. This, despite the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) tall claims of making the city "pothole-free."The BBMP issued a directive in August 2010 to make the city pothole-free. The zonal level engineers were summoned to carry out the Herculean task. But like most issues, they shared that they are 'doing the job well'.The numbersIn a rather blatant and unreal way, the engineers said that they had identified 34,777 potholes across the city. The number of potholes seemed far less underestimated by the officials. Soon after, many Zonal chief engineers claimed that city has become potholefree as the pothole covering drive had begun with considerable fervour. Dasarahalli and Mahadevapura were declared pothole-free by December 2010.As good as this sounded, the substandard quality of works have come back to haunt the city and these engineers. Every time it rains, the potholes become small ponds and almost impossible to gauge. Many two wheeler motorists have been grievously injured or even lost their lives, cars have been damaged and pedestrians have been injured due to potholes during and after the rain.The works, like many others, were handed over to the Karnataka Land Army Corporation (KLAC). The BBMP Council had also banned this organization, only to reinstate it and also shower them with more public works. Since the KLAC is exempted under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, it was handed out the contract without a bid as well.However, in November, BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah asked the zonal chiefs to undertake the operation themselves. But the potholes reappeared as they were just filled with a cold patch without Bitumen, which is one of the key ingredients for long lasting roads. The BBMP carried on with the initiatives as it was aiming to achieve 'numbers' and not 'results'.On December 7, 2010, the BBMP issued a stern warning that action will be taken against all those individuals or organisations who do not cover up roads in a scientific manner after digging.Commissioner Siddaiah said that private and government organisations would be dealt with if they do not cover up the roads after laying pipelines and other cables.Though the BBMP has made an extensive list of potholes (zonewise) in November last year, it is unable to get the information together this year, adding serious doubts to their claims of making the city potholefree.The officials in the Palike now state that they are still collecting information, even though their "war" against potholes began months ago.Response to a media reportOn November 15, 2010, the BBMP issued a rejoinder to Express regarding a story highlighting the poor conditions outside Adarsha Theatre at Ulsoor.The civic body sent a picture of the newly done up road taken before October 12, along with pictures being asphalted in September, but the officials had missed looking at the road after it was complete.
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