Dear Minister George, thank you for the quick-fix to fill potholes but is this what Bengalureans deserve?

Woken up by the severe criticism of the potholes in Bengaluru, the city in-charge minister KJ George has pulled up the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials to fix the potholes, at any cost. His quick suggestion was to make use of the rapid setting emulsion that would last for a week, at least.

The BBMP officials, in fact, had adopted a wait and watch policy to fill up the potholes. The BBMP Commissioner had stated that until the rain stops, it would be futile to fill up the potholes. As the rain continued to play truant, Bengalureans were left at the mercy of the BBMP. But after social media was being flooded with titles like 'Potholuru' and #potholeGardenCity images, the minister has pulled up the BBMP to give a make-over to the Bengaluru roads, even if that's a temporary measure.

It has been reported that the city has over 15,000 and more potholes in the city. In some stretches, the potholes are as deep as 2 ft, and danger lurks in here if they are covered with water. Recently, a couple was killed due to a huge crater on the Mysuru Road flyover. Several accidents have also been reported due to the potholes. While the Bengaluru traffic police did their bit to fill up the pothole to ensure smooth traffic movement, the Palike officials were waiting for the rain to recede. 

However, now minister George has asked the officials to use the rapid setting emulsion that would quickly fill up the potholes, then the hot bitumen mix. Unless the surface is dry, there is no point in using the hot mix. Hence the BBMP was waiting for the rain to stop. Earlier, they used the same mix but it only lasted for three days.

With weather experts predicting rain even for next two to three days, the Palike officials are now fixing the potholes with the rapid setting emulsion that would last for a week. The palike officials are also making use of the python machine to expedite the work.

But this shoddy job of the officials has led to another problem at Lalbagh junction. It has come to light that the Palike workers are not even making an effort to dry out water from the potholes at Lalbagh. Instead, they are filling the pothole with wet mix. But this is coming off the next day making the whole stretch look like a marshy field.

These quick-fixes are sure to spell further trouble for the City which is already on the brink of being flooded. Besides, the minister's instruction to complete the work by December is nothing but a poll gimmick. Instead, the Congress government must ensure quality work that would make the roads, free of potholes, if not anything. Bengalureans, at least, deserve that bit.

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