Bengaluru: Sustained media campaign, non-stop citizen activism and local leaders’ persistence — this is the right blend to fix a road overnight that was neglected for years. Commuters on Kanteerava Studio Road had to endure potholes, dust, traffic snarls and a crater that turned every ride into an obstacle course. Now, the stretch between Surana College and Nandini Layout has been asphalted in a dramatic turnaround.A big relief to motorists, but it has also raised an important question: if a road can be fixed in hours, why did commuters have to wait so long? The road took its share of spotlight last week after heavy rain caused a section of the carriageway to collapse, leaving behind a huge crater. The situation drew attention when a video clip of a heated exchange between a commuter, identified as Vivek C, and Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials during a road inspection went viral on social media. Congress functionary Kusuma H, too, pressured civic officials to act without excuses.What followed was a swift response from Bengaluru West City Corporation (BWCC). Within days of public uproar, workers moved in to resurface the battered stretch, completing the work — on a Saturday night.
TOI had reported on the matter on October 9
As TOI reported earlier, the road’s repair had been held up for nearly a year with Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure (B-Smile) proposing to convert it into a white-topped road while motorists suffered on a daily basis. “It took so many messages and repeated letters to higher authorities. And all it took was less than a night to give us a good road,” said Deepak Gowda, a regular user of the stretch, thanking TOI for highlighting the issue. “This is all we have been waiting for. It’s not really difficult for our corporations to build roads; it is the choice they make.”Shwetha, another commuter, said the improvement was immediately noticeable, although she remained unsure about the road’s long-term quality. “Earlier, there was so much dust and congestion. With the road now properly paved, vehicles move smoothly,” she said.Yet, residents have a concern: if the asphalt is of poor quality or if utility agencies dig it up to lay cables, pipelines or other infrastructure, what happens? For now, that’s a story for another day.
