DCM DK Shivakumar: 154 km of Bengaluru roads will undergo white-topping at an estimated cost of ₹1,700 crore

The Karnataka government has outlined a large-scale plan to address Bengaluru’s road and drainage challenges, with thousands of potholes, arterial road works, and flood-prevention projects on the agenda.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar informed the Assembly that police records alone identified 10,000 potholes in the city, in addition to complaints from citizens and legislators. Of these, 5,377 have been repaired, while the rest remain pending. He acknowledged to repair potholes, however it only provides a temporary fix, stressing that long-lasting solutions such as white-topping and black-topping would be pursued.

Also read: BBMP accelerates repairs for over 4,500 potholes across Bengaluru amid monsoon chaos

Road infrastructure projects 

As part of the initiative, 154 km of roads will undergo white-topping at an estimated cost of ₹1,700 crore. In the first phase, 633 km of arterial stretches have been earmarked for the project, which is projected to cost ₹9,200 crore across the city. Alongside, 490 km of major and sub-arterial roads will be resurfaced at a cost of ₹690 crore.

To curb urban flooding, the government is moving forward with a World Bank-backed project to concretise 173 km of storm water drains. Bengaluru has 850 km of drains, of which 480 km have been completed, while 195 km are under construction. An additional ₹1,700 crore is being allocated for lake interlinking, aimed at easing waterlogging during heavy rains.

The government also confirmed that groundwork for elections to the Greater Bengaluru Authority is progressing, with ward delimitation and electoral roll revisions underway.