Bengalureans turn to tech: New pothole mapping app wins hearts

Bengaluru: As potholes multiply across the city and traffic woes deepen—especially during the monsoon—Bengalureans are facing a daily struggle on the roads. Despite repeated complaints, the condition of the roads remains largely unchanged. In a refreshing turn, citizens have now turned to technology to take the matter into their own hands.

A new web-based platform, blr-potholes.pages.dev, has gone viral after a Bengaluru resident, Shantanu Goel, shared a screenshot of the site on X (formerly Twitter). The platform allows users to crowdsource real-time data on potholes by uploading photos and tagging the exact locations on a city map.

According to the viral post, the application—created anonymously—is designed to empower citizens to identify and report potholes across Bengaluru. The interface is simple and open to the public, enabling users to contribute images and mark dangerous spots on roads. Interestingly, the post jokingly adds, "Don't call them potholes, call them 'kulis'”—a playful take on local terminology.

This initiative has gained widespread praise on social media. One user called it “a perfect example of civic tech in action,” while another applauded the creators for building a solution for a long-ignored problem. Some users have suggested that these updates be automatically sent to local municipal bodies every week, and that once a pothole is fixed, the uploader should have the option to mark it as resolved.

By collecting crowd-verified data, this platform aims to alert not only the public but also authorities about the road hazards in their jurisdictions. Many hope that such data-driven transparency could eventually hold government agencies accountable and prompt quicker road repairs.

At a time when conventional complaint systems have failed to deliver results, this grassroots-level digital tool is fast becoming a beacon of hope for a safer commute in Bengaluru.