One rain, endless craters: NewsFirst’s reality check on Bengaluru’s broken roads

From Kamakshipalya to Nagarabhavi, craters on Bengaluru’s streets are leaving motorists shaken and angry, as patchwork repairs and negligence expose the city’s civic apathy.

Reality Check 01 – Kamakshipalya

One rain, and Silicon City’s roads have caved in. At Kamakshipalya, what should have been a routine road repair has turned into a cruel joke on taxpayers. BBMP’s contractors laid tar everywhere except on the potholes, leaving behind gaping craters that residents now call “death wells”. The shoddy work, captured on NewsFirst cameras, has sparked anger among locals. “Why cover the good part and leave the pothole open?” a resident demanded. Half the road gleams with new tar, while the other half remains a danger zone. People complain that repairs begin only after the rains start, leading to 4-5 accidents daily on this stretch.

Reality Check 02 – Malgal Underpass

In Malgal, commuters wade through a messy mix of rainwater and sanitary waste every day. The underpass road, dotted with deep potholes, makes life miserable for residents. Parents struggle to ferry children safely through the mess. “We pay every tax, why do we still get roads like this?” a frustrated woman asked.

Reality Check 03 – Nagarabhavi

In Nagarabhavi, a stretch barely 50 metres long has more than 15 potholes. A local vendor’s bundle fell off his vehicle after hitting one, forcing him to reload it mid-traffic, a symbol of the city’s crumbling civic sense. “We pay taxes, yet drive on roads worse than villages,” another resident lamented.
Bengaluru’s so-called “Silicon City” image is fast fading under civic neglect. With each rainfall, residents are left with broken roads, broken vehicles, and broken promises.