Bengaluru residents protest against bad roads, standoff with police
What's the story
Residents of Bengaluru took to the streets on Saturday morning to protest against the city's dilapidated roads. The protests, however, resulted in a standoff with the police, who warned that the demonstrations were unauthorized and could lead to arrests. Protesters carried placards demanding "Save Bengaluru Roads" and "Fix Roads," as officers tried to disperse them.
Protest catalyst
Protesters form human chain along Varthur Road
The protests were sparked by a viral video showing the terrible condition of roads and footpaths outside Google's Bengaluru office. The video highlighted craters, encroached footpaths, and unsafe walking spaces. In response to these issues, residents from housing societies in the eastern corridor formed a human chain along Varthur Road demanding immediate repairs on a two-kilometer stretch between Gunjur and Varthur Kodi.
Safety issues
Protest turns political as locals voice concerns
Commuters have complained that what should be a five-minute journey between Vinayak Nagara and Varthur Police Station now takes over 40 minutes. Locals also raised concerns about increased accidents and health problems due to dust clouds from broken roads. The protests soon turned political with BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slamming the Congress-led state government for failing to address these issues.
Government response
Deputy CM blames natural causes for pothole problem
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar attributed the pothole problem to "natural causes" and heavy rain. He said over 7,000 potholes have been filled so far, with more than 5,000 remaining on Bengaluru's roads. Meanwhile, Poonawalla said, "Despite paying high taxes, residents are left with potholes, dust, and mismanagement. This is nothing but a 'Loot, Jhooth, and Phoot' governance model."