WILL POTHOLES EVER BE CLOSED??

BY NOLAN PINTO

A few days ago, a biker fell into an open pit and lost his life. The work that was on for a good 10 days, had only a barricade and mud dumped on sides. The accident took place in the early hours of the morning. That man worked as an actor in Kannada serials. He had a family too; a wife and two children. The BBMP has offered to provide compensation, a meager Rs 2 lakh.

Then a few months ago, due to a pothole and in order to avoid it, a biker was killed when a heavy vehicle rammed into him. Like these tragic incidents, there are many to write about. So many families have been torn apart not due to war but due to potholes in this city. 

Now, let’s get down to some hard facts. This city, which was once known as the garden city and also known as the silicon city, is filled with potholes. No area is spared. Period. Well, just maybe in front of politician homes the road is fantastic but for us common folk, we just have to deal with these potholes on an everyday basis.

After this incident in Gavipuram, a few colleagues of mine went around the city searching for not just potholes but craters and they did not have to go far. In the CBD itself, you can find new potholes slowly but surely turning into craters. The civic agencies only fill them with jelly and leave it that way. Don't they know, a small stone on the road is enough to cause a bike to skid?

It’s clearly a case of utter apathy on part of both, the govt. and the BBMP. It is really not our problem if the proper budget is not allocated by the state govt. for this purpose. It is not our problem if councilors are not getting sufficient money for their respective wards. It is not our problem if contractors are striking. These problems are theirs; the elected representatives whom we have stood in queues for hours together to cast our precious vote. All we want is this, work to be done and done properly and that which will stay strong for at least 5 freaking years.

I mean, every other road has a pothole and some have craters. And we the people just deal with it. We grumble, we curse but we just deal with it every other day. Don't you think it’s time we stood up and take matters into our own hands? Just one day, we need to create chaos since our elected representatives only know the language of chaos.

Let’s do something, what say? enough is enough.. down down potholes in Bangalore. It is time folks, to start creating havoc. Remember, those in power only understand chaos. It wakes them up from their deep slumber.