Bengaluru, Karnataka: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday acknowledged that potholes remain a persistent issue in Bengaluru but assured citizens that comprehensive measures are underway to address the problem. Speaking in the Karnataka Assembly, the Deputy CM, who also oversees Bengaluru development, presented details of infrastructure upgrades and waste management reforms.
Pothole repairs and road upgrades
Shivakumar said that more than 10,000 potholes have been identified through citizen complaints, photographs, videos, and police inputs on accident-prone stretches. Of these, 5,377 have been repaired, while work on the remaining 5,000 is in progress.
“These repairs are temporary. For a lasting solution, we are implementing large-scale road upgradation projects,” he told legislators.
The government plans to white-top 154 km of roads at a cost of ₹1,700 crore, ensuring a lifespan of nearly three decades. Additionally, 632 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads will be upgraded in the first phase of a ₹7,500 crore project. The overall investment earmarked for Bengaluru’s road network stands at ₹9,200 crore, which also includes ₹690 crore for blacktopping 450 km of major roads.
Waste management overhaul
Shivakumar also turned his attention to the city’s waste management crisis, alleging that a “garbage mafia” had hampered efficient operations under successive governments.
Fresh tenders for waste collection and processing have now been reissued on a constituency-wise basis following the resolution of legal hurdles. The government is also working on setting up large-scale waste processing units in four different zones on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
One of the proposed plants near Doddaballapur requires the acquisition of 100 acres of land from NICE, though some local resistance has been reported.
“With new technology, garbage can be processed within three days to produce electricity and gas, without foul odour. Similar models are already functional in Delhi,” Shivakumar said. A team of officials has also studied waste treatment methods in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Delhi to adopt best practices for Bengaluru.
Balancing short-term fixes with long-term planning
The Deputy CM admitted that while emergency pothole repairs are ongoing, durable solutions such as road white-topping and upgraded drainage systems are critical to prevent recurring damage, especially during heavy rains.
Conclusion
The announcements indicate a strong push towards improving Bengaluru’s civic infrastructure. With significant investments planned, citizens will be watching closely to see if the promised road revamp and waste management overhaul translate into visible improvements on the ground.