Bengaluru: Calling Bengaluru’s pothole-ridden roads a glaring example of governance failure, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya Tuesday demanded a comprehensive white paper on road infrastructure spending. He questioned how the city continues to grapple with recurring potholes despite spending more than Rs 5,500 crore on road works since 2023.His remarks come days after the state govt announced a fresh Rs 2,000-crore package for road repairs across the city.A day after meeting Krishna Byre Gowda, the newly sworn-in minister for Bengaluru development, Surya launched a sharp attack on the state govt, accusing it of repeatedly announcing new projects without delivering lasting solutions for Bengaluru’s taxpayers.Releasing a letter submitted to the minister, Surya said Bengaluru, globally recognised as India’s technology capital, has also earned the unfortunate reputation of being a “pothole city,” with poor road conditions persisting despite successive funding allocations and repair drives.Listing road-related allocations made since the Congress-led govt assumed office in 2023, Surya said more than Rs 5,500 crore had been earmarked or spent on road repairs, resurfacing projects and pothole-filling initiatives. He also cited a report published by TOI on July 24, 2025.Arguing that Bengaluru’s recurring pothole problem stems not from a lack of funds but from inadequate transparency, monitoring and accountability, the MP said: “The system will not change by penalising one or two officials or engineers. The need of the hour is systemic and institutional reform.”Surya also referred to the state govt’s Oct 2025 announcement by then Bengaluru in-charge minister and current deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, promising a pothole-free Bengaluru within a stipulated deadline. With that target having been missed, he said the latest eight-month deadline announced by Krishna Byre Gowda, along with another Rs 2,000-crore allocation, had only raised fresh questions among citizens. “The city does not require additional allocations, but transparency and impact analysis,” he said.Demand for a public dashboard on road infrastructurePointing out that multiple parastatal agencies are executing infrastructure projects simultaneously across Bengaluru, Surya stressed the need for better coordination through a strengthened Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA).He also called for the creation of a publicly accessible dashboard providing road-wise details of expenditure, contractor information, work timelines, payments released and defect liability periods for all road repair works carried out over the past three years.Surya also assured complete cooperation to the state govt on initiatives aimed at improving the city’s quality of life and submitted a detailed 15-point agenda covering infrastructure, mobility, housing and water security.“I told Krishna Byre Gowda that if the govt takes any step that genuinely benefits Bengaluru and improves the quality of life of its citizens, then, as a citizen of Bengaluru and a member of Parliament representing the city, I will extend full support and coordinate with the Centre for Bengaluru’s development,” Surya said.Steps for city’s improvementMetro & public transport: Reduced travel time, increased usage of public transport, reduced no of private vehicles besides fasttracking delayed Metro construction.Piped natural gas: Ensure mission-mode implementation of PNG connectivity across Bengaluru with necessary approvals.Waste management Address the garbage crisis by setting of a biogass plant at KCDC, Bommanahalli; Review Rs 39,000-crore garbage contract.Affordable housing: Expand affordable rental housing for lower and middle-income families by drawing support from PM Awas Yojana-Urban.Flood resilience: Prevent flooding through drain reform and lake rejuvenation & a comprehensive long-term water security strategy,Enhanced public transport: Double the fleet size of BMTC over the years which is operating with 7,000 buses and operationalisation of BMLTA.
