Days after a man in Bengaluru succumbed to his injuries after getting into an accident due to a pothole, the Karnataka High Court said the feeling of guilt haunts them whenever they read such reports. A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice SR Krishnakumar which was hearing the matter, referred to Ashwin’s death and told the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to fill potholes on all major roads within 15 days. The court told the civic body that it must be carried out on a war-footing.
The court also directed the BBMP to conduct a road survey in the central business district (CBD) area in three days. The civic body can take the help of other agencies, the court said. After this, without delay, the work of filling of potholes must be taken up by using suitable technology, the bench explained. The civic agency should not keep on giving excuses in this regard, it added.
The bench said it was not satisfied with the earlier work plan given by the BBMP. “We have discussed the problem with the Chief Commissioner and Chief Engineer, and want the filling up/repair of potholes in CBD district to be done on war footing and the roads in this area shall be repaired within 15 days,” it said. BBMP’s counsel said projects undertaken by various other agencies damaged the condition of the roads.
It is unfortunate that a youth lost his life to potholes, the court said. Ashwin, who was fetching food for his mother died in MS Palya of Bengaluru on March 14. He was riding a bike and fell down while crossing a big pothole and suffered fatal injuries. “We’re deeply saddened by the young man’s untimely death. Following our previous order, the respondent (BBMP) has filed a memo outlining a work plan to fill/repair potholes in Bengaluru’s CBD area. We are dissatisfied with the proposed work plan,” the bench said.
“We therefore direct the respondents to make a survey of all the existing roads in the CBD area of Bengaluru within three days, if the respondents want they may involve the agency which is already engaged in repair of potholes in the survey. The work of filling/repair of potholes shall commence on all major roads immediately and by using proper technology,” the court said.
The bench was looking into the PIL filed by one Vijayan Menon and others seeking directions to the government and the civic agency to fill up potholes in the city.
