Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday addressed concerns over potholes in Bengaluru, stating that road issues are prevalent across the country, including in New Delhi, and projecting the problem as unique to Karnataka is misleading.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Bihar, Shivakumar, who also oversees Bengaluru development, said the government is actively addressing the issue. “We are filling potholes daily, despite rain. Work is ongoing to repair approximately a thousand potholes in each of the five municipal corporations in Bengaluru,” he added.
Shivakumar criticized the opposition BJP, accusing the party of neglecting road maintenance during its tenure and raising the issue now for political gains ahead of civic body polls. “If roads were maintained during the BJP government, such conditions would not have arisen. Elections are approaching, so they are raising the issue. Let it be, we will do our duty,” he said.
His remarks come in the wake of appeals from Bengaluru industry veterans, including former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, urging the government to intervene after online trucking platform BlackBuck decided to relocate from Bellandur citing commuting and infrastructure problems.
Shivakumar further asked reporters to consider road conditions in other cities, including the route to the Prime Minister’s residence in Delhi. He assured that the government recognizes its responsibility to maintain roads and is actively implementing repairs. Shivakumar, along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is scheduled to attend the Congress Working Committee meeting in Patna on September 24.
