Adventure ride on Panathur Road: Residents struggle as white topping work slows traffic

With ongoing white topping work shutting down the main road for over a month, Panathur residents, mostly IT employees, face daily hurdles, calling their commute an “adventure ride.”

The Panathur Main Road in East Bengaluru has turned into a daily obstacle course as white topping work continues at a sluggish pace, forcing residents and commuters to take risky detours. The stretch, which connects Varthur, Gunjur, and Kadubeesanahalli, has been closed for more than a month, bringing chaos to one of the city’s most important tech corridors.

With no proper alternative route, hundreds of bikers are forced to ride through narrow service lanes and even along canal stretches to reach their offices. Locals describe it as an “adventure ride”, not by choice, but by necessity.

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“There are over two lakh IT employees living in this region, and yet basic infrastructure remains ignored,” complained a commuter, adding that even ambulances, cabs, and autos are getting stuck near Panathur Circle daily. Residents have also raised concerns that temporary arrangements were not made before blocking the main road, worsening traffic jams and delays.

The ongoing road work, led by civic authorities, includes white topping of the main Panathur stretch that connects several private schools and tech parks. However, years of delay and slow progress have frustrated locals.

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Chief engineers said the repair and white topping work is in progress, and efforts are being made to speed it up. Yet, residents say the situation on the ground remains unchanged, with bike riders performing near-stunts to cross the uneven terrain, while some pedestrians even jump over railway compounds to reach their destinations faster.

The absence of clear communication, lack of diversion management, and poor planning have turned a simple road repair into a nightmare for one of Bengaluru’s most populated tech suburbs.