Woman injured in pothole-linked accident in Bengaluru succumbs

BENGALURU: A woman who has sustained grievous injuries in a pothole-related accident on Monday, died the same evening after failing to respond to treatment. The deceased has been identified as Umadevi.

On Monday morning, Umadevi and her daughter Vanitha were travelling from Srinagara to Gayathrinagar on their two-wheeler. They lost balance while avoiding potholes on the road near Sujatha Talkies in Rajajinagar when a KSRTC bus bound for Shivamogga hit them from behind.

After the recent heavy rain, potholes have sprung up on many roads in the city.

Umadevi was seriously injured and was admitted to ESI Hospital in Rajajinagar on Monday afternoon. The doctors administered necessary treatment, but Umadevi died in the evening after failing to respond to treatment. The body was shifted to M S Ramaiah Hospital on Tuesday morning for post-mortem examination.

Most of the arterial roads in Bengaluru are in bad shape. In Majestice alone, 167 potholes have been identified along a 40-metre stretch.

A case has been registered at Malleswaram traffic police station. The police have taken the KSRTC driver Maruthi Rao into custody after a complaint was filed by Vanitha, the daughter of the deceased, and an FIR has been filed.

On Monday evening, BBMP officials inspected the accident spot and the potholes were filled with sand and gravel mixture.

Pothole near the accident spot was repaved on Monday evening.

“It has come to my attention that the potholes on the road near Sujatha Theater were poorly repaired and I have asked for a report about the same,” Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has sought a report on pothole-filling work near Sujatha Talkies.

The police intend to issue a notice to the zonal officer and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials in order to obtain a report on the incident and potholes.

Traffic police fillng potholes with mud and stone.

Palike Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, along with other officials, visited the accident spot and also inspected other places in the city. He directed that unauthorised cables be removed near Magadi Main Road, which were removed by corporation employees.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, along with others, inspecting the condition of the roads on Monday evening.

“We are deeply saddened by the accident, and an investigation is going on. Potholes are created due to rain and we are unable to do the work for the same reason. As we are unable to resurface the road with bitumen, we are filling the potholes with sand and stones or wet mixture. Every year, we cover around 30,000 potholes in the city, and this year, we are planning to fill a total of 22,000 potholes. Further action will be taken based on the police report and  compensation will be also decided,” said BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath.

Traffic police of the city inform BBMP officials about the potholes through BBMP’s Fix My Street app. Every day, they take pictures of potholes and upload them along with all the necessary information while also managing traffic. On an average, information regarding 20–25 potholes is uploaded on the app every day. At some places, the traffic police themselves have filled potholes to prevent mishaps.

Using the Fix My Street app, potholes in the city can be reported.

A total of 27,173 potholes were marked by BBMP until Monday on the Fix My Street App in all eight zones of the city.